


Come Alive

by ToDefineIsToLimit



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Demons, Depression, Eventual Relationships, Fae & Fairies, Fluff, Ghosts, Hurt/Comfort, Magic, Medication, Morality | Patton Sanders-centric, Multi, Mutual Pining, Nonbinary Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders, Nonbinary Morality | Patton Sanders, Not Beta Read, Polyamory, Recovery, Slow Burn, Suicide Attempt, Trans Male Character, Vampires, Werewolves, look y'all this is gonna hurt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-19
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:07:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 36,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24812053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ToDefineIsToLimit/pseuds/ToDefineIsToLimit
Summary: Patton tried to end it all but was stopped by some well-timed Vampiric influence.A deal is struck between a depressed Patton and vampire!Janus that Patton has to do his best to get better for the next year. Is that going to be enough time for Patton to decide he wants to stay?Will eventually be Vampire!Patton/ Ghost!Virgil/ Demon!Logan/ Vampire!Janus/ Werewolf!RemusWill update when I figure out what happens next because my outline sorta fell apart lol.Title is referencing Come Alive from The Greatest Showman.Warning: Themes of suicide and depression and recoverythis fic will be at times, dark/ gross/ upsettingwell needless to say this isn't going to be updated for a while, I hit a block and while I tried to work through it I acquired a new hyperfixation, I may continue it someday but for now im setting it as complete because I don't think that any updates will be any time soon
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Dr. Emile Picani/Sleep | Remy Sanders, eventualy DR LAM
Comments: 109
Kudos: 95





	1. In The Woods Somewhere

**Author's Note:**

> I will put trigger warnings at the beginning of each chapter but overall trigger warnings for this fic:  
> -Depression  
> -suicide and discussion of such but it won't always be in detail the way it is here  
> -blood and blood drinking (vampires ya know)  
> \- dysphoria (There is only one cis character so this will be a thing)  
> -discussion of death  
> I think that's most of it so make the choices you need to keep yourselves safe, I hope you enjoy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [ In The Woods Somewhere by Hozier](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJdTRF5d94k)

Patton couldn't do it anymore.

They had tried and tried. They had done things for others. They had given their life purpose. Wasn't that supposed to be enough? But still, they sat here arms pressed to their chest begging their lungs to let them _breath_. 

How long had it been since their lungs felt full? 

It was like a constant feeling of being bound at the wrist. Restrained but still able to move enough to function.

They just wanted it to stop. The numbness interspersed with flashes of red hot fear piercing through them.  
And nothing else.  
Never anything else.

Patton didn’t really remember the last time they felt something else. 

The only time it hurt less was when they were being held by their friends. And even that did nothing but dull the ache for a short time.

They could make it stop. They shouldn’t, it was selfish, but they could.  
Patton had promised themself yesterday that if they waited twenty-four hours and didn’t find a reason not to, they could.

There was half an hour left. 

They started sorting through the things in their life that might give them a reason not to. Just something to make them feel _anything_.

Baking? Puppies? Puns?

Nothing. Blank except for the dim awareness that these used to be positive experiences. It had been a while since Patton had bothered with those things.

Their friends would probably be sad.

That wasn’t enough. They wanted so badly for it to be enough. 

But…  
Patton couldn’t handle this feeling anymore.

*** 

The woods were pretty this time of year, not that they really deserved it considering what they were doing to the person who was going to find them. They still felt bad for… ya know.

No No you know what? If they were going to do it, they should be able to say it out loud. It wasn’t fair of them to avoid it when no one else would be able to.

“I’m here to kill myself,” They told the still afternoon air. The trees did nothing

Patton wasn’t sure what they expected to happen. They sort of wished someone would leap out and stop them. Tell them that they had seen Patton’s pain that they had cared enough to notice.

Maybe that was unfair. Some people cared. Patton had just gotten a little good hiding it.

Either way, it was too late now. Patton couldn’t go home after sneaking out like they did. They had their note tucked into their hoodie pocket along with the four pill bottles they swiped from the medicine cabinet.

They picked a spot next to a tall tree where sunlight filtered through the canopy of leaves above them. This would be a nice place. Plus it was a mile or two away from the road so no one would find them before the pills kicked in. They wondered briefly if they should have worn their favorite outfit for this. They weren’t really sure what mattered anymore.

They settled down and set their water bottle next to them. They pulled out the note and the bottles, set the note where it would be found, then two at a time Patton took the pills and sat back against the tree, watching the sun slowly move toward the horizon.

***

Janus was walking through the woods hoping to come across a bird or a rabbit. Just _something_ to eat. He had a report to write for school tonight and didn’t have time to go into town for more blood. It had been a few days since he’d eaten and for the last few hours, his fangs were a constant presence, an unpleasant reminder of his hunger.

A scent on the breeze caught his attention. It was gorgeous, sweet, smooth. 

_Food?_ It had to be a deer or something because it smelled really nice.

He started moving quickly in the direction of the delicious scent, but as he grew nearer it gained a sour undertone. He stopped for a moment, breathing. It was familiar. Whatever was giving off that scent was something he knew. It was something he encountered often, what was it? 

Perhaps someone.

He was jogging now. That sourness he sensed was distress and for him to smell an emotional response more than ten feet away? The emotions had to be world crushing.

The scent became more intense permeating the whole area. The source was nearby. 

Janus slowed down, but he didn’t see them until he tripped over them. He went sprawling across the ground. He turned back to see what he’d tripped on.

“Patton?!” He said surprised, he scrambled to sit up next to them. They were asleep why…?

Then he saw the bottles, empty and scatter across the ground. 

Pain killers, heavy ones. 

Janus felt a horrible sinking feeling in his stomach.

Had they taken all of these? Janus could hear their thready pulse slowing. His eyes landed on a piece of paper titled “Dear Mom, Dad, and Janus” and his suspicions were confirmed. 

He had been able to smell Patton’s increasing distress over the past six months but whenever he would ask Patton if anything was wrong Patton would give him some superficial answer about homework or chores. He had known there was more to it but he figured Patton would come to him when they were ready.

Janus grabbed their arm shaking it, desperate for them to even move. Their body merely slumped to the side, limp.

Their skin was cold in a way Janus wasn’t used to.

But they weren’t dead yet. The hospital was too far away to call an ambulance now which left him with one option.

He hated it and lord knows it wouldn’t be good for either of them. But if it kept his friend alive? He’d do it.

“This is really gonna fuck me up,” He muttered to himself as he leaned in, biting Patton’s inner elbow.

The blood flowed into his mouth a little too slowly. Patton’s blood pressure must be low. It tasted a little strange, tainted by the chemicals which had put Patton in this state. Janus knew his system would process them easier than a human’s but he wouldn’t be surprised if he came out affected too.

He sat there, hurriedly draining his best friend of most of their blood. Earlier that day he had been worried about whether he should ask them to homecoming and now here they were, blood dripping on the forest floor. Janus had thought that he might do this one day but he had hoped it would be with their permission.

When Patton had turned pale and was now teetering on the razor edge of dead and alive, Janus used his fangs to clip open a vein on his own wrist, wincing the sharp pinch. 

He laid Patton down, their head resting on his leg. He held their mouth open and let the thick dark blood drip slowly into their mouth. When Patton’s automatic swallow reflex kicked in Janus saw the difference, heart speeding up slightly. Patton stirred as more of the blood dripped into their mouth. 

Their hands flew upward to clutch at Janus’s arm, dragging it down to their mouth and taking in the liquid hungrily. Janus saw the puncture on Patton’s arm healing. Patton’s face contorted in pain just as the last bits of the change took place. Janus scanned their unconscious form for the source of their pain. He looked down to see the beam of sunlight directly hitting Patton’s ankles.

The two of them needed to get away from here to somewhere safe. Patton wasn’t dressed for sunlight. Janus whipped off his hoodie and wrapped it around Patton covering their face and hands. He scooped them up, hoping their ankles weren’t too hurt. 

Janus took off running toward his home feeling each beam of sunlight hit his now bear arms like a pop of hot oil. He tried not to think about the fact that Patton would never be able to stand in the sunlight again. He tried not to think about what Patton would say when they woke up.

***

Janus had barely managed to get Patton to the couch before he collapsed on the floor. The running, the sunlight, the painkiller, and the loss of blood made a wildly effective sleep aid. So he laid down right where he was and crashed.

It felt as if he merely blinked, but he opened his eyes to Patton shaking his shoulder and saying his name.

“Janus!” They said again, loudly enough to shake him out of the last bits of sleep.

Janus pushed himself up onto his elbows, “What is it? What’s up?”

“Janus, why am I in your house?” Patton said softly, they sounded so scared.

“Shit I’m sorry Patton. I found you in the woods I brought you back here,” Janus said sitting up, rubbing his face.

“Janus, how am I alive?”

Janus met his eyes, “I’m sorry.”

“I feel strange, what happened? How am I okay?” Patton asked.

“I couldn’t let you die so I-”

"What did you do to me?" Patton's voice shook. They were looking at their ankles and the blood dried onto their arm and shirt.

"I turned you into a vampire, " Janus whispered, barely audible to even himself.

Patton looked at him a long moment, frowning. The look of betrayal on their face stung.

"........... Janus is that supposed to be funny? What happened to me?" 

"Oh, you’re _right_ , Patton. I found you trying to kill yourself in the woods and then _intentionally_ gave you awful burns on your ankles. You _miraculously_ managed to not die from overdosing on your dad's leftover oxycodone prescription, then I _kidnapped you and brought you to my house rather than seeking medical attention because I’ve always secretly wanted to kill you_!" Janus rolled his eyes, the exhaustion sapping his patience. 

Patton flinched back, tears building in their eyes. Guilt filled Janus’s chest immediately, he shouldn’t have said that. He might be angry with them but this was one of those situations where you have to act not angry because it will do more harm than good.

Patton had thought they had a reason for it and making them feel bad wouldn’t help.

He took a deep breath and retried in a calmer tone, "I'm sorry, you have obviously had a hard day I'm sorry. I need rest after turning you and I lost my temper. Hold on, I was remiss to let you go hungry after an injury."

Janus went to the fridge and pulled out the bag of blood that he had on hand in case of an emergency. He preferred not to dip into his emergency stock when not necessary but this would help Patton heal faster. He came into the living room where he had left Patton and...

They were gone. Of course, they were. The front door stood wide open. Janus grabbed his cloak off the hook throwing it around himself and taking off into the early evening light. 

The sunset always cut through the trees to fill the clearing outside his house around this time of the day and so Janus wasn't surprised at all when he spotted Patton not fifteen feet from the front door. They were collapsed and writhing on the ground in the sunshine, their skin was starting to blister in places.

Janus gritted his teeth and slipped off his cloak, covering Patton and bearing the searing heat on his own arms. The meds in his system had numbed him somewhat but it still didn’t feel good. He picked Patton up again, this time having to avoid touching bare skin or risk hurting the already sensitive burns.

Those would need cleaning with all the dirt Patton had just managed to rub in them. In fact, Janus's own burns would need the same after lying directly on the floor.

Janus made it through the door, kicking it shut behind them with a groan of pain. He stumbled to the dining room table and laid Patton's now limp body across it. 

Janus pulled off the cloak to look at Patton. They were covered in blisters and angry red skin and dirt. They were unconscious either from the pain or from their body giving up after the ordeal it had been through.

"For fuck’s sake, Patton, are you trying to kill us both?" Janus sighed, adjusting Pattons limbs so they were laid out flat.

He went and retrieved the bag of blood from the living room, biting into the corner and taking a third for himself. He preferred fresh but this was good enough. He just needed to be able to keep going despite the injuries and the mass amount of painkillers still flooding his system.

He took the rest of the bag of blood and stuck the open corner in Patton’s mouth, shutting their mouth around it and resting it on their chest. Hopefully, they would drink it on instinct before they fully woke up because Lord knows they wouldn't once they woke up.

Patton would probably starve before being willing to drink blood. Janus did this to save them but knowing Patton there was a good chance they would end up starving or turning to dust in the sunlight before the end of the month.

Janus went through the familiar steps of cleaning and caring for burns although these, admittedly, were much worse than the occasional singe that he got here or there.

Patton started to stir after about a half hour. Janus had cleaned the dirt off and had begun applying aloe vera. Patton groaned, causing the bag to fall from their mouth. Janus sighed and stood from his seat near Patton's feet, moving to the head of the table. 

Patton shifted their arm, face contorting in pain. 

"Shhh it's okay, Pat. I got you, just relax, " Janus gingerly nudged Patton's mouth with the bag. Patton opened their mouth at the smell of blood and latched on, draining the bag quickly. 

"Good job, sweetheart, " Janus said, fondness leaking into his voice.

Patton let out a soft, pleased, "hmm" and some of the redness faded in their skin.

God bless vampire healing factors. It wasn’t great but it was better.

Patton only woke up properly as Janus wrapped their arms in bandages. 

"Okay, " Patton said softly, drawing Janus's attention, "So I'm a vampire."

Janus looked at them and nodded, "Yeah, I bet that was a pleasant way of finding out."

Patton chuckled, "Not exactly."

"How are you feeling?" Janus asked.

"I'm good, " Patton said cheerfully.

Janus leveled them with a look. Patton had the decency to look ashamed.

"Pretty bad, this really hurts, " Patton said, more honestly, looking up into Janus's face.

"It's going to until you have a full proper meal, " Janus told them.

"And that's…?"

Janus nodded, "Blood."

Patton let out a slow shuddering breath, "Jay why did you do this to me?"

"I couldn't let you die."

Only half the truth. The other half was Janus's selfishness making him unable to let go of something he loved and in this case selfish was a good thing.

"You could've."

Janus sighed and moved back to his task, "If you really think that then you must not know me at all."

A long silence hung in the air.

“Janus, I can’t just go home, back to school, back to everything… I won’t.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, in that case, you’ll live here, I’ll take you into the city to be looked at by healers tomorrow.”

“No! Janus my mom works at the hospital! Plus what are we gonna tell them, oh I turned into a vampire last night and got third degree burns from the sun?!”

“Third Degree?”

“I don’t know the degrees,” Patton shrugged helplessly.

“That’s fair, and you’re right about one thing, these burns _are_ bad. Fuck, you’re even more photosensative than me,” Janus said looking at their ankles again, “Fine, we’ll go into the city tonight. And for the record, I don’t mean the human city.”

“What?”

Janus took a deep breathe realizing just how complicated this was going to be to explain.

“Okay let’s just go through it all slowly. Vampires are real, you and I are both vampires.”

“Yep got that part,” Patton nodded.

“Vampire consume blood to live and can consume small amounts of human food but its bad for us and can make us sick. Fresh blood from a humanoid tastes best but any blood will do as long it hasn’t been dead more than a week or so.”

Patton looked sick.

“I know, it sounds nasty, but I swear once you try it you get over it,” Janus very pointedly chose not to point out that it took nearly a century of trying it for him to get over it, and the majority of that time was spent in hibernation in an attempt to avoid living as a vampire. 

Was it technically a lie? Yes but hey he couldn’t have his best friend starving because the idea of eating blood grossed him out.

“O-okay.”

“Now along with vampires a bunch of other creatures are real, shapeshifters, ghosts, werewolves, demons, fairies, and probably more that have escaped me for the time being. We obviously can’t live comfortably among humans in large groups with out causing panic so there is a network of underground cities and highways leading between them across the world, lucky for you we live above the only underground city in Wyoming so congrats.”

Patton blinked at him like he was insane but they were too nice to say it.

"I know it sounds insane, but how else do you explain these burns or the fact that you just drank a quart of faerie blood?"

"I what?!"

"You know what never mind that, I'll get you one of my extra cloaks and take you to a healer, " Janus said standing and turning away. He stopped in the doorway.

"And Patton?"

"Yes?" 

"Please don't run off again."


	2. No Matter What They Say, We're Gonna Be Okay

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [San Bernardino by The Mountain Goats](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvq0K4ZfHpU)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Warnings:** Blood, vomit, discussion of suicide
> 
> i stg this chapter is fluffier than it sounds
> 
> Roman uses xe/xem pronouns (if i mess that up anywhere tell me and I'll fix it)  
> Remy, Emile, and Remus are trans men
> 
> don't @me I just like writing trans character okay?

Patton's silence was deafening.

They had hardly spoken since Janus told them not to run off beyond the obligatory "thank you"s for the cloak or opening the door.

The sun had all but sunk below the horizon, its last rays clinging desperately to the autumn sky. 

They were now a few miles further into the woods, at the cave entrance to the town. They had both been limping most of the way here and Janus was grateful for how close to the entrance his house was. 

Both of their house now, he supposed.

“So you know my parents aren’t actually away on business,” Janus told them, “The house is mine, in my name. My parents… well, they’re dead.”

“Oh… I’m sorry Jay,” Patton said softly.

“Its no big deal. I just wanted you to know the truth.”

He had told Patton that his parents were away on business a lot so that Patton wouldn’t question why he lived alone.

Janus cleared his throat, feeling he should be changing the subject. He looked into the thrumming darkness of the cave.

"These tunnels have been here for centuries but it was only in the past fifty years that they really carved out a home for everyone down here, " Janus chuckled nervously at his own attempt to fill the silence.

Patton just nodded, they were stumbling every few steps. 

“Are you okay? Should I carry you?” Janus offered not feeling much better himself.

Patton just shook their head.

They continued into the gloom as their eyes adjusted to the pitch black of the cave. Janus had made this trip in the dark countless times so he wasn't too concerned. Finally, they came to the door. Janus flipped on his phone light.

"Are we lost?" Patton asked, looking at what appeared to be a dead end.

Janus smirked, "Aw come now, Patton you didn't really think that we would simply have it open to the public did you?"

Patton pulled a face but said nothing. Janus felt a pang of guilt for having made a joke. Now really wasn’t the time. The smirk faltered and he continued explaining more seriously.

"It only opens to people who have been there before, so if someone new wants in, they need a guide, " Janus placed his hand on the small scratch in the rock and the doorway opened, "Fairy-made no finer security around."

Starting from his hand and rippling out the stone dissolved to dust until a doorway wide enough for two cars appeared.

Patton looked a bit stunned as they passed through the doorway into the tunnel beyond. Janus couldn’t blame them. This section of the cave was flooded with beautiful blue light pouring out from runes on the walls. Patton was looking at them with curiosity.

"They're blessings, " Janus explained softly, he always felt like you should be quiet in this part of the cave. Like it was sacred, consecrated ground. Maybe it was in a way.

"If you believe in that sort of thing. Fairies place them here for protection over the town. They say people with ill will can't pass by them… I've been thinking about getting some for the house… might be good if you're going to be staying there."

Once Patton seemed to be finished examining the runes Janus continued walking, Patton trailing behind him. Janus couldn’t even hear Patton’s footsteps against the stone floor. He had to stop himself from turning back to look at them every five seconds to check they were still following.

He remembered the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. Funny that he was leading the one he loved further underground, to a place filled with ghosts and demons rather than leading them to the surface. 

Maybe the meds were getting to him.

Soon the tunnel began to widen and finally, it opened up into the massive cavern and laid out in front of them was the city, lit up with lanterns in front of every storefront and on every street corner. The river cutting through the city and continuing on through unseen underground tunnels.

The air wasn't damp as one would expect (as it was before the town was built) but was heavy with the scent of herbs that were grown in every window sill.

Janus glanced back at patton, excited to see the look of wonder that everyone had when they first saw the town. The awe of seeing something so beautiful and otherworldly.

Instead, he saw tears. Janus's smile fell away. As badly as he had always wanted to show them this the circumstances weren’t right.

"My healer friend isn't far, just a few blocks from here, " Janus told them, "You walking okay?"

Patton nodded, swiping at their tears with their sleeves.

Soon they arrived at Remus, Remy, Roman, and Emile's house, though of course they only needed to speak to the latter two. Janus hoped they were home, the lights were off but it was awfully early for them all to be asleep. He knocked at the door hoping that they weren’t out or anything.

Roman came to the door looking frazzled, xe seemed to be radiating anger. Xe wiped the sweat from xyr brow and huffed.

"Blue-" Patton squeaked.

Ah, right patton had never seen a fairy before. Roman's cerulean skin tinted purple, "Yes I’m blue, I cannot believe the nerve of-!" Xe huffed out a frustrated breath before addressing Janus slightly more calmly.

“Janus, do you remember yesterday afternoon when we all warned you not to come knocking for a few days unless it was an emergency and that even then you should be sure to bring candy?”

Janus sucked in a sharp breathe, right, last night was the full moon, meaning the three men of the house would be exhausted and in pain from their transformation last night, “Right, sorry, that time of the month.”

Xe nodded, tiredly, “In both senses of the word, I’m afraid.”

Janus nodded sympathetically Remus had told him in graphic detail that he was also on his period this week, and it made sense that Remy and Emile had synced up with how long they had lived together.

Roman pushed a hand through xyr hair, “You woke them all up, they had finally managed to fall asleep despite the pain. Also whose this charmer?” Xyr tone was sarcastic and xe eyed Patton suspiciously.

“They didn't mean to offend. This is my friend patton that I’ve told you guys about, they just got turned into a vampire and need medical attention. So do I in fact.” 

Janus held his arm out under the lamplight illuminating the burns on his arm.

Xyr eyes widened, “Why did you just let me stand here complaining?! Come in please I’ll get Emile.”

Janus laughed a little as xe rushed back into the house leaving the door open for them. They entered and Janus shut the door behind them leading patton into the living room and flipping the lights on.

Emile limped out into the living room and leaned on the back of the chair.

“Rough moon?” Janus asked shakily setting himself on the couch, his limbs felt like putty.

“The worst in a while,” Emile agreed, “Roman, said someone was hurt?”

“Both of us, Emile this is my friend Patton there was a mix up with their prescription at the pharmacy and they ended up getting very sick. Almost dead. I found them in time to turn them but it was the afternoon and both of us got burned up pretty bad. I’m also out of blood at my place.”

Emile looked the two of them up and down, “Okay give me a few minutes I’ll get together some supplies, Roman’s busy taking care of Remy and Remus at the moment but xe’ll be out in a jiffy.”

“Thank you so much, Emile,” Janus said with a smile.

“No problem.” 

Emile headed toward the kitchen leaving them alone.

“This is my friend’s house,” Janus explained, “Roman is a fairie. Emile is xyr boyfriend and a werewolf. They also have another boyfriend named Remy, also a werewolf, and Roman’s brother Remus is a werewolf. Presumably, Remus is adopted because their mother is also a fairie. Roman’s pretty young for a faerie, I’ve known xem for five or six years and they couldn’t be older than thirty at a _max_.”

“Why did you lie to him?” Patton asked, not fully acknowledging Janus’s explanations.

Janus shifted nervously, “I figured if you wanted him to know the truth you could always correct it later but once he knows there’s no taking that back. That’s not my truth to tell.” 

He still felt bad for having lied so quickly. He had a bit of a lying problem after having lied about the source of his scar for so long and everyone knew he was trying to stop. He hated how often he still lied but at this point, it was just reflex ya know?

“I didn’t want to have to explain it to anyone,” They said, tears building in their eyes, “I didn’t want to be here right now!”

Janus felt a sick twisting feeling in his stomach.

“What would you have had me do? Just happen across my dying friend and not do everything in my power to save them?” Janus said trying to be gentle.

Patton snapped and began whisper shout at Janus through their tears, “You didn’t _save me_! You made it so much worse! God Jay what made you think I would ever want to live like _this_?!”

Janus couldn’t deny that the words stung, “You want the honest answer?” 

“Yes.”

“I didn’t really care whether you wanted to live like this. I wanted you to live bad enough for the both of us. Thats enough for now.”

The fight seemed to drain out of Patton at the answer. Their voice was broken, “And what now? What am I supposed to do? This doesn’t fix what I’m feeling.”

“I know it doesn’t. I doubt there's anything I can do that could fix it. But please Patton give it a little longer.”

“I’ve already given it _years_ ,” Patton said, they sounded so _tired_. More tired than any eighteen-year-old should have to feel.

“Please Patton, just one more year. This life isn’t as bad as all that,” Janus said. He knew from experience, his hand drifted up to touch the scar spanning his face.

He continued speaking, “You don’t have to go back to your parents, hell you don’t even have to go back to school. You can stay with me or we can get you your own place down here. This place is beautiful. You could live off my money, you could get a job. You can drop everything and start sailing the gondolas on the river. Do whatever you want. Just- _please_ one more year. For me.”

“What happens when I still feel like this a year from now?” They didn’t look at him.

“ _If_ that happened then.... Well I won’t stop you, you have my word,” Janus said in what quite possibly was the biggest lie of his very long life.

Because the truth was that he would keep bargaining with Patton, keep finding new ways to save them because he loved them. They were one of his best friends in the world and he refused to lose them.

Footsteps started coming down the hallway and they fell silent.

“Okay, please don’t take this the wrong way patton, I say it out of kindness,” Roman said breezing back into the room, “But you two better go to the kitchen or stop fucking whispering out here unless you want Remy to come and kick you out.”

“Thanks, Ro,” Janus said standing. Roman made xyr way into the kitchen.

Patton stood too.

“Do we have a deal?” Janus asked extending a hand to them.

They pursed their lips a moment then took his hand, “Deal.”

***

The two of them made their way into the kitchen where Emile was setting out a few bags of blood and Roman was grinding together what looked like dried flower petals.

“Okay, so you know, I am Emile, he/him pronouns. I'm a certified doctor and Roman uses xe/xem pronouns and xe's the best magical healer this side of the Tylwyth Teg. Would you mind hopping up here on the counter and taking off your shirt?” Emile asked, patting the counter. 

Patton did as they were asked, sitting on the counter in their binder.

Emile frowned slightly, “How long have you been binding?”

Patton shrugged numbly, “What time is it?”

“Eight forty-five-ish,” Roman answer glancing at xyr phone.

Patton hissed in a breath, “ Nearly fifteen hours.”

"Zoinks, Scoob, that's a lot of hours!" Emile said his eyes widening.

"Sorry, " Patton winced.

"You don't have any reason to apologize to me, " Emile said with a shrug, "After we get you cleaned up I will have to insist on you changing out of those clothes, unbinding, and resting for a while while we run this stuff through the wash."

"I don't have any more clothes, " Patton said.

Roman laughed, "We figured you didn't but you can borrow something of ours."

“Oh, um, thank you,” Patton said as Xe approached, grinding the petals in a mortar and pestle. Xe seemed to be examining the burns too.

“Okay so Janus has taken pretty good care of these burns so far except the ones on your stomach,” Emile said unwrapping their arms and ankles.

“Their stomach?!” Janus said coming forward too quickly and lurching to the side as the medicine continued to affect his balance.

“Ah ah ah slow down,” Emile said steadying him with a hand, “Yes it appears your shirt road up a bit while you were in the sun. So if you’re okay with it I can just clean up this area and then Roman can apply xyr magic and we’ll get you something to eat. You’ll be good as new by morning.”

Patton nodded their agreement, head still reeling from the serious use of the word magic.

“Fair warning,” Emile said picking up a wet cloth to clean away the dirt, “This will likely hurt a bit.”

Patton tensed for the feeling of rough cloth against raw skin. The sensation never came. 

“Not a flinch. No offense but you don’t really seem like the type to have a high pain tolerance. Just what did you say you accidentally took?” Emile asked with a light chuckle.

“Uhm oxycodone,” Patton said assuming it would matter to their treatment.

“Mmmhmm, Janus, Ro, could you two step out for a few minutes while I talk to Patton?”

“But of course my love,” Roman said dropping a kiss on Emile’s cheek. 

Janus looked at Patton checking to see if they were okay with that. Patton gave him a nod and Janus nodded back and walked out. The kitchen door shut behind them.

“Okay I had some suspicions, but they’re pretty much confirmed now,” Emile said drawling back and pushing himself up to sit on the table, “Now I’m sorry if this question makes you uncomfortable, but I have to ask. Did you take the medicine on purpose, Patton?”

Patton froze.

“Sorry for such an accusation but… I’ve known Janus for long enough that I can tell when he’s lying. And the fact that you knew what it was you took, proves it was no simple pharmacy mix up.”

Patton slumped, “I did.”

“Thank you for telling me. Do you know how much you took?”

Patton shrugged, “Everything left in the bottles.”

“Okay. To be honest I’ve never seen first-hand someone do that intentionally and survive and I’ve definitely never seen surface medication in a vampire’s system before. So I don’t know how this might affect you and-”

The door opened.

“Sorry to interrupt Em but Jan just evacuated the entire contents of his stomach on our bathroom mat trying to get to the toilet,” Roman said popping xyr head in.

“So thats how it affects vampires!” Emile said looking a little tense, “Right well I’m sure that is not a pretty picture so here Patton let me just put this trash can in front of you just in case you experience similar effects. Roman, could you please go get Remus? You know how sensitive Janus is about who’s allowed to be near him when he’s sick and I doubt he’ll let you or I touch him if he doesn’t have Remus. I’m going to go wake Remy and see if he can help us clean up and get laundry started.”

‘Remus’. Janus had said he was Roman’s brother but he never mentioned they were so close.

Roman rushed out of the room. Emile was about to follow when Patton spoke softly.

“I’m so sorry, this wasn’t…. no one else was supposed to get hurt.”

“Patton, every person here tonight is happy to do this. The way Janus talks about you It’s clear you mean a lot to him. In fact, he was considering telling you he was a vampire soon. If Janus likes you that much then you must be pretty special and I for one am excited to get to know you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to anger my boyfriend.”

***

“Hey, Ree-mutt, wake up,” An evil and bad voice said, rousing Remus from his sleep.

“I don’t know who you are but I am bleeding, in immense pain all over my body, and I haven’t slept in two days so remove your hand or I’ll remove your arm,” Remus groaned turning over and seeing his sibling leaning over his bed.

“Oh fuck, not you!” He whined turning back over.

Roman shook his arm before he could get back to sleep, “Hey Ree, come on, please. Janus is here and he needs you.”

“He is?” Remus asked sitting up, eyes barely open, “Bring him here I’ll cuddle him.” Remus held out his arms making grabby hands.

“I can’t, he just threw up in the bathroom and now he’s crying.”

“Nooo, he can’t do that!” Remus said hoisting himself out of bed, “I’ll go to him to cuddle.”

“He’s sitting in a puddle of blood and puke,” Roman warned him.

“I’ve had worse,” Remus said pulling on a pair of pajama pants but left his shirt off.

He made his way down the hall to the bathroom where he found Janus had stripped off his shirt and crawled into the bathtub. The was no water in the tub and he was sat there shivering and sobbing.

“Hey there,” Remus said, hopping over the puddle and settling on the edge of the tub, “What’s up Puke Face?”

Janus looked up at him quickly but relaxed when he realized who it was.

“I turned Patton into a vampire and they’re sitting on your kitchen counter right now. They’re really mad at me and I just vomited up everything I ate today, and I haven’t eaten for a few days so I’m starving and Roman says that I’m going to have to take small sips over the next few hours to let my stomach settle slowly.”

“That majorly sucks,” Remus said, “Do you need a hug?”

“No,” Janus said, leaning into Remus’s side even as he said it.

“Why’d you turn them?” Remus asked, wrapping an arm around him.

“They were dying,” Janus said, his voice going soft, "Don't ask why."

Remus knew he said that not because it was too disturbing or unpleasant but because when Janus said don't ask it was because remus wouldn't get an honest answer. They made a deal soon after they became friends that Janus wouldn't lie to him but Remus wasn't allowed to demand answers all the time. It worked for them.

Remus nodded in understanding, "Okay, well I'm sorry your crush made you puke."

" Thanks for sitting with me Ree."

"Always will, Jan- ass."

"Pfft that's gay, " Janus murmured already dozing off against Remus's leg.

Remus froze at the words.

Janus had been joking. But still… Remus wasn’t in the business of lying to himself. He suddenly noticed the feeling in his chest and maybe it was the lack of sleep talking but... even covered in blood and burns and dirt, Janus was damn pretty.


	3. Gently In The Cold, Dark, Earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Work Song By Hozier](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH7bjV0Q_44)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: Some sex jokes, Just general Remus-ness and you can consider that to be a blanket warning for this fic 
> 
> Welp guys, I welcome you to the fluff. This chapter has moments of angst but quite frankly I got a cavity from writing it

That night at Janus's friends' house was the best sleep Patton had gotten in two years.

Soon after Roman and Emile left, they met Remy as he came through the kitchen to grab the mop. He wore sunglasses despite the lack of sun in the underground.

“So you’re Patton?”

Patton nodded nervously.

“Cute. You kinda freaking out cuz of all the reveals tonight?”

Patton nodded.

“Yep, I feel ya, babe. I mean like not really because I grew up down here but I’ve been to the surface so I definitely know how different that shit is.”

Patton nodded and realized that they should probably contribute to the conversation, “So you’re a werewolf?”

“Yeet,” Remy said as an affirmative.

“So you actually turn into- into a wolf on full moons?” Patton was somewhere between fascinated and terrified of that fact.

“Mmmhmm,” Remy said going to the cabinet and pulling out a bag of dark brown spheres and pouring a few into his palm, popping one into his mouth.

“Chocolate covered coffee bean,” Remy said in response to Patton’s questioning look, “I’d normally offer you one but I don’t want to risk a second puking vampire tonight.”

Patton winced, “I’m sorry.”

“Hey no worries babes it’s not like you did this shit on purpose,” Remy said peering over the top of his sunglasses, “Anyway I’ll see you later.”

Patton felt awful and it wasn’t just the queasiness that had started making their stomach churn. Through their actions, they had hurt Janus, made him sick, ate all his food, woke an entire house full of people (who they themselves had been feeling extremely tired and sore). All because they were stupid and selfish and couldn’t just be what their parents had asked of them.

They had been aware that Janus might be a little sad. And yeah, their parents would be upset with them but their parents were gonna be upset with them anyway so what was the point of trying to avoid it? But this? This was more trouble than they were worth. If they had just pulled it together and not done this than no one would be having to deal with them right now. 

Or even better if Janus had just shown ten minutes later than he had.

Eventually Roman and Emile came back to tend their burns.

Roman had spread the mixture of ground herbs and flower petals over Patton's blistered skin, humming softly all the while. The mixture looked like pesto with pink flecks and they wondered how this was supposed to help. Then xe started singing aloud.

“Softest light from down below,   
Rising to the surface though.  
Leaving seams that we can’t see,  
Wounds will heal and scars will flee.”

As xyr words washed over Patton the herbs seemed to soak into their skin and all signs of the burns faded from their body. The herbs were gone and Patton’s skin tingled with something that they knew could only be magic.

 _Magic_.

What if they had died and this was just some really cool dream they had before dying? That might make more sense than Vampires and Werewolves and faerie magic.

“You’ll have to excuse the rudimentary incantation, it was the best I could come up with at the moment. Usually, I have whole sonnets but this will have to do,” Roman apologized as if xyr voice wasn’t the most beautiful thing Patton had heard all week.

“It was lovely,” Patton assured xem as they looked at their own arms in wonder.

“Well thank you,” Roman inclined xyr head gratefully.

“How’s your stomach feeling?” Emile asked, laying a hand across Patton’s forehead, checking for a fever.

“I was feeling a little queasy but the song helped,” Patton answered.

“Good!” Emile said brightly, “Then you seem to be just fine for now. Now take these clothes and go down the hall to change, you can change in our room, second door on the right. When you’re finished you can bring me all your clothes and I’ll get them washed up for you.”

“Thank you,” They accepted the clothes and followed Emile’s directions. They thought they might have heard Roman humming “Be Our Guest” as they left.

They walked down the hall they stopped by the bathroom where they saw Remy mopping the floor. They were about to say something but then they froze.

There was Jay, curled up in the bottom of the bathtub, shirtless, leaning against a man who must have been Remus. Patton felt their heart clench, with a pang of… was that _jealousy_? 

They quickly moved away from the door and to the bedroom they were instructed to change in. 

They didn’t have any right to be jealous, not after what they had put Janus through tonight. They tried to shake it off but their brain kept replaying that couple seconds of intimacy they had witnessed. Remus’s hand on Jay’s back, rubbing soothing circles, murmuring to him softly so no one else could hear. They didn’t even seem to be aware of Remy’s presence.

They didn’t know for sure if it was just the comfort of that moment that they wished for or if it was the idea of having that moment with their friend.

They had known they felt something strong for Janus for some time now but they hadn’t ever thought too deeply about what it was. Probably because they never had to see Janus with anyone else. 

Janus didn’t have a lot of friends at their school and had made it perfectly clear that he was only there to get his diploma and had no interest in friends. He had come in halfway through sophomore year. It had taken Patton months to break him down enough for Janus to admit they were friends. They’d been close for more than a year now but it was basically just the two of them.

Other people used to like Patton but when they changed their name and pronouns they had been kicked off the girls’ volleyball team and had lost the only other friends they had.

It never occurred to them that Janus might have other friends they didn’t know about.

Patton tugged off their soiled clothes and pulled on the borrowed pajamas which felt nice against the freshly reformed skin of their arms.

They exited the bedroom, taking their dirty clothes with them. They only sent a glance in the direction of the bathroom as they passed this time. Remy was gone and Remus had slid down into the tub behind Janus. Janus was asleep against his chest. 

Oh… maybe they were dating.

“Take a picture, lasts longer,” A voice called from the bathroom just after Patton passed. Okay, so it may have been a bit more than a glance. Patton walked back so they were in view of the door.

“Uh s-sorry,” Patton stuttered out.

“You’re good, come sit down so we can talk.”

Patton hesitated in the doorway.

“C’mon, don’t be shy, I’ve already seen what your blood looks like half-digested there’s no point in being coy,” Remus told them. Patton tried to resist the urge to wrinkle their nose.

“Well, Its just Emile told me to come back out and-”

Remus rolled his eyes, “You’re an adult Patton, you aren’t gonna get in trouble for chatting with me. Now c’mon I wanna meet the person that Janus has been raving about for the past few months.”

“He has?” Patton said coming in and perching on the lid of the toilet.

“Only every day,” Remus laughed, a high and manic sound the caught patton off guard at first.

“Oh… sorry?” Patton said looking down at the floor.

“What for?”

“Er- your boyfriend talking about someone else a lot is probably pretty annoying,” Patton said running his bare feet over the bath mat.

“He’s not my boyfriend!” Remus shrieked immediately. His face was bright red.

Janus stirred, “Mmm Ree?”

“Yes?”

“Shut up, I’m tired.”

“Sorry, Jay, it was my fault,” Patton apologized. They had after all been the one who triggered that response.

Janus crack his eyes open, “Patton!” He sounded surprised and... happy. Patton wasn’t used to that sort of unguarded happiness from the secretive man.

“You can come and cuddle us too,” Janus said making grabby hands.

“‘Fraid not, Janus,” A voice from the doorway said.

Patton turned and saw Emile standing in the doorway with an exasperated smile on his face.

“Patton you should be resting and Janus it’s time for Roman and I to get you healed up.”

Emile took the clothes out of Patton hands. 

“Mmm-mmm don’t want to, comfy here, warm,” Janus said as he curled up against remus.

“You have to if you want cuddles,” Remus said in a surprisingly gentle tone. Patton didn’t have to know him long to know that he wasn’t usually this soft.

“Fine but if I fall asleep while Roman sings you guys better make sure I don’t fall off the counter.”

“That I can handle,” Emile said with a chuckle.

Janus hoisted himself out of the bathtub, his eyes were still barely cracked open, like he was still half asleep despite standing up, “Patton you can cuddle remus, you need to sleep okay? He’s like… a warm mattress boy.” 

“As nice as that sounds I think that the both of them should probably climb into separate bed and see about getting some real rest,” Emile said pointedly to the two of them.

Janus seemed upset, The mixture of everything that happened today seemed to be making him delirious, “But they should be friends. I like them both, why can’t they be friends?”

Patton felt their heart flip at the phrase “I like them both” even though they knew it was just a friendly thing and definitely not just aimed at Patton.

“Janus, sweetie, for the sake of your dignity we’re gonna go now,” Emile said firmly guiding Janus out of the bathroom.

“Em, babe, do you have the dirty clothes?” Remy called down the hall, stopping by the bathroom door, “Also Janus I need to wash your clothes too.”

“Okay,” Janus’s voice came floating back and Remy’s eyes widened.

“Jay no! I meant once you get changed! Please stop stripping in the hall!” Remy said taking off in Janus’s direction.

Patton’s eyes widened and Remus laughed at their expression

“Eh don’t worry. He gets like this when it’s been a few days since he’s eaten or slept,” Remus explained as he climbed out of the bathtub, “I don’t imagine the medicine or injuries are helping.”

“ _A few days since he’s eaten or slept_?!” Patton repeated in horror.

“Don’t worry, that's normal for vamps, " Remus said waving their concerns off, "C’mon your hearing is gonna be improving as you finish turning and you'll be more sensitive to noise. So if you wanna get any sleep you'll need to stay in my room."

"What?" Years of Christian upbringing reared back against the idea of sleeping in a boy’s room.

Remus broke into a grin, probably realizing what Patton thought he was implying, "Sorry sweetness, as cute as you are I just mean to sleep. Maybe another time,” Remus winked at this and continues speaking. 

“My room is soundproofed so you'll be more comfortable in there."

Oh… that was actually really nice. Patton attempted to stamp down their feeling of scandal and reminded themself that it wasn’t even that big a deal because they were sort of like half-boy. 

“Oh... thank you,” Patton said, following Remus down the hall to the last bedroom, “I guess this is pretty _sound proof_ that you’re a nice guy.”

“Actually its just proof that I’m way too loud while having sex so my brother made me soundproof my room. I think you’ll find I’m not very nice at all,” Remus giggled and shot them a grin over his shoulder.

Patton didn’t know how to respond to that so they just smiled at him weakly.

Remus opened the door to his room and let Patton go in. 

It was kinda messy with dirty clothes and random sticks of deodorant scattered around the room. The walls were covered in soundproofing foam and the ceiling was plastered with posters for bands that Patton had never heard of like “Candle Blood” and “Alien Earache”. There was also a dresser that was absolutely covered with stickers that had a tv sitting on top of it with an Xbox next to it.

The room smelled like pine and sweat and… something sharp, that smell felt familiar but patton couldn’t place it.

“You can have the bed,” Remus said shoving the door shut and throwing himself into a bean bag in the corner.

“You can’t sleep there,” Patton said horrified. For one thing, the chair was surrounded by weapons. Pocket knives, a spikey-ball-on-a stick-thing, even an ax was leaned up against the wall next to it. And for another thing, the chair itself didn’t look comfy at all.

Remus sighed heavily, “Fine I’ll go sleep on the couch so that the guest room is open for Janus.” He hoisted himself out of the chair and turned toward the door.

“No, no! I’m sorry I don’t mean to impose! I just- I can’t take the bed if you won’t be sleeping in a bed. You’re tired and hurt too aren’t you? They mentioned you- you-”

“I went full furry last night, yeah,” Remus said with a shrug, “But after the night you’ve had I’m not letting you or Jay sleep on the couch so…”

After Remus had been so nice to Jay and them they couldn’t just let him give up his bed!

“Then- well- Uhm- well you and I could just share. Its no big deal, that way we can both get some rest,” Patton offered, keeping their tone firm and hoping that Remus wouldn’t put up any more argument or else they might fold and just go sleep on the couch themself. Gosh, their parents would lose their minds if they knew Patton even suggested this.

Remus gave them a long look as if Patton was an interesting new bug he hadn’t seen before

“Okay, I’ll try to keep my hands to myself but fair warning I get a little cuddly when I sleep,” Remus shrugged and threw himself on to the bed. It swayed under him as if made of jello or…

“A waterbed?” They asked, settling themself gently on the edge feeling it bob beneath them.

“Mmm-hmm, makes certain _activities_ more exciting. Plus I tend to run hot and the liquid makes it harder to overheat,” Remus said wiggling his way under the blanket, causing the bed to ripple beneath them, “Lay down there gorgeous, no need to be shy.”

Remus turned so his back was facing the middle, leaving plenty of room for Patton to climb in without the two of them touching.

Patton felt themself flush at the compliment.

“Right, thanks,” They squeaked out, laying down and crawling under the blanket, “Night.”

“Night… and hey Patton?”

“Yes?”

“I know that you’re dealing with a lot tonight so… if you need anything just wake me okay? Promise not to be mad.”

Patton was quiet for a long moment, they had their back turned to remus, they managed a soft whisper of, “Thank you.”

***

Janus felt significantly more clear-headed after Roman healed him. Emile was helpful, he made sure that the wounds were properly cleaned and handled before Roman sealed them shut but he couldn't really do much for fixing vampires at all, his degree was in human health. 

Roman's song is what really helped. Xe managed to pull the clouds from his mind to an extent although he was still exhausted and hungry. Then Emile let him take a few sips of blood and he felt a bit better.

THen he finally processed the last few minutes.

"I- oh my God I just stripped almost naked in your hallway," he said burying his face in his hands, "I am so sorry."

"Yes you did but if it's any consolation neither of you crushes saw you, " Roman said with a smirk.

"I don't have a crush on Remus, " Janus snapped, but he didn't miss the look Roman and Emile exchanged.

“You literally said ‘I like both of them, they should be friends’,” Emile said with an eye roll.

Had he said that? It sounded like something he would say while delirious. How had Patton and Remus interpreted that?

It wasn’t that he didnt think Remus was attractive its just that- Ah fuck, _did_ he think Remus was attractive?? 

He pushed his hand through his hair, "Oh fuck, oh fuck, I tried to get them both to cuddle me. I told them to cuddle each other while I was gone."

Remy came into the kitchen, "Bad news bitch. I was looking for Patton in the guest room to ask if their binder could be washed on warm and they weren't there so I went to ask Remus where they went and it looks like they took your suggestion."

"What?" Emile looked confused.

"They're both out cold in Remus's bed and Patton is all curled up against his side, " Remy said collapsing in a chair at the kitchen table, “Pretty cute honestly.”

Roman put a cup of coffee down in front of him and Remy grabbed xyr hand and kissed the inside of xyr wrist.

"I specifically told those two to sleep separately, " Emile said, clicking his tongue impatiently, “It’s funny they’re getting along so well considering who they are as people.”

Roman nodded, “Yeah honestly I bet when they’re both less tired they’ll fight constantly.”

Janus wasn’t so sure, patton wasn’t much of a fighter.

“Maybe,” Emile said, seeming equally doubtful, “But if they do it’ll probably less Tom and Jerry and more Doof and Perry. I still can’t believe they just ignored what I told them.”

“Darling, you forget one thing, my brother is a touch starved bitch after a moon,” Roman said with a boisterous laugh.

“You’re right,” Emile said with a sigh, “Alright, Janus do me a favor and go get Remus and tell him to come out to the couch then you can go sleep in the guest room.”

“You got it,” Janus said, sliding off the countertop, still wearing only his boxers but at this point, it was far too late for modesty.

He walked down the hall to Remus’s room and opened the door. The two of them were in the center of the bed. Remus’s arms were around Patton and Patton was curled up against his chest.

Janus almost felt bad for disturbing them, they looked so peaceful.

“Jay?” Patton’s voice was soft. Apparently Janus had woken them anyway.

“It’s me, sorry Pat.”

Patton hummed contentedly, “You smell nice.”

Janus felt his face heat up, he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him, “You’re probably just smelling Remus.”

Patton’s half-asleep face contorted in confusion, “Nuh-uh He smells nice too but you smell like home.”

Janus’s heart practically stopped before he got an intelligent thought in.

 _‘Of course they think I smell like home,’_ He told himself silently, _‘I was the one who turned them. It’s probably just instincts.’_

Remus started to shift too, “Jan-ass!” He said, also sounding tired, cracking his eyes open to peer at Janus.

“Ree, Emile wants you to go sleep on the couch,” Janus finally managed.

“Okay,” Remus said going to sit up.

“No!” Patton whined, wrapping their arms around Remus to stop him from moving, “You’re warm! Plus Jay promised to cuddle us…”

“I was just kidding Pat,” Janus lied, not sure that he was ready to deal with the implication of any of that tonight.

“Please Jay?” Patton looked at him, teary-eyed, “I don’t wanna be alone right now.”

Shit shit shit Patton was crying.

“Hey hey it’s okay. We’ll stay, don’t worry Patton we’ll both stay,” Janus said quickly.

“You will?” Patton asked sniffling.

“No place I’d rather be,” Janus said, a little too truthfully.

“Well then get in here, old man,” Remus said opening his arms.

So Janus climbed into bed next to Patton, feeling his weight cause the water to shift wildly back and forth, and laid so that his bare chest was against Patton’s back. He was acutely aware that he was laying mostly naked in bed with his two best friends.

“I’m really sorry you guys. Also, it’s nice to meet you, Remus…” Patton said softly.

Remus just hummed. And the three of them fell silent.

Janus was enveloped by the smell of them, the feeling of them, the sound of both of their heartbeats.and his overly exhausted mind quickly slipped into sleep.

God this would be a Thing to deal with when they woke up tomorrow morning.

***

Emile peered in the empty guest bedroom, “Oh goodness sake.”

“Does it really matter babe?” Remy asked, approaching Emile from behind and wrapping his arms around his waist. Roman walked up and leaned against the wall of the hallway.

“It would have been easier to do periodical check-ins with them if they were in their own rooms but I suppose not,” Emile said with a sigh, and leaned his head back onto Remy’s shoulder, “Thank you for your help tonight, I know you were tired.”

“Yes, I’m not sure we would have been able to wrangle them on our own,” Roman said with a rueful smile.

“Janus is family,” Remy said with a shrug, “It’s not fun being dragged out of bed in the middle of the night but sometimes it can’t be helped... Speaking of can’t be helped I’m going out.”

“Oh?” Emile said, turning around in Remy’s grasp. He pressed a quick kiss to his boyfriend’s cheek.

“Yep,” Remy said dropping a series of kisses onto Emile’s face and pulling away.

“I have to go shopping for something,” He said going to Roman and cradling xyr face softly in one hand and running a thumb along xyr cheek. Then he kissed xem slowly and passionately, in a way the had xem leaning back against the wall and letting out a pleased sigh.

“Have a good night, babes, I’ll come back with breakfast for everyone in the morning,” Remy said, walking out the door.

***

The next morning was… embarrassing for the three people piled in bed side by side. By the time knock came from the door calling them out for breakfast they were a jumble of limbs with altogether too much bare skin to be comfortable. No one met each other's eyes as they detangled themselves and few words were exchanged 

"Normally when I wake up in bed next to a stranger it because we got drunk and had sex," Remus commented, tugging on a shirt. 

Usually he would spend as much time as possible shirtless, showing off his newly flat chest but he felt kinda weird after last night.

There was a big difference between post-sex cuddling and holding your best friend and his best friend while you all slept simply because you all were more comfortable that way.

"Can I borrow some clothes?" Janus asked. He was wearing only boxers. Remus looked him up and down unable to not let his eyes travel the exposed skin that usually was so carefully covered up.

Remus nodded, "Yeah go ahead."

Patton stood next to the door shuffling their feet. 

Soon Janus was unfortunately fully clothed and it was time for all of them to go join the real world again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's official, let the pining begin!


	4. Encourage Your Complete Cooperation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [ Blood by My Chemical Romance](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX3Gw82f6GU)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's technically Friday! It counts! yes it may be 1:40 AM on Friday but it counts so I'm allowed to post this now
> 
> Warnings: Discussion of a loved one dying, theft, panic attacks
> 
> Alternate title for this chapter is "Logan is a functional disaster gay."

The next day Janus had Remus and the others distracting Patton while Janus went and retrieved what he could of their belongings without alerting their parents.

Originally the plan had been to just pop by Patton’s parents’ house and get their favorite stuffed animals and clothes.

Patton had a breakdown at breakfast over having to eat blood and quite frankly Janus figured Patton needed some of their sentimental objects. You know the ones. It's the things that just holding them makes you calmer.

For Janus it was the pair of old, worn, leather, riding gloves that his boyfriend gave him the week before he was turned into a vampire. It was impressive they hadn’t fallen apart yet considering the years but things made in the twenties really were just higher quality. Janus took very careful care of them and only wore them when he was especially nervous.

And for Patton, there were undoubtedly two objects that were that for them. The first being their cardigan. They hadn’t been wearing it yesterday but Patton adored that cardigan and wore it almost all the time. The second was undoubtedly their stuffed rabbit Quiche. Janus and Patton had only ever had one sleepover before all this (because Patton was shy about sharing a room with guys) and Patton had brought that rabbit with them. Clutching it the whole evening.

It was equal parts endearing and concerning because Janus didn’t know what Patton was so nervous about.

Janus was, in many ways, an expert in self-care. Some might say that he had taken it to the extreme with his eighty-four-year-long nap he took. But in this case, it simply meant that he knew better than anyone how important one’s sentimental items could be for them.

It was gonna be an easy trip, just convince their parents that Patton had stayed at his house for the night. Janus’s hopes died as he caught sight of the house.

Police were swarming the place. 

Presumably looking for Patton. The thing was that none of them seemed too concerned. Patton was an adult and at this point, the search was merely a formality that was necessary when a rich person’s kid disappeared and the police here knew it. If Patton was gone their parents didn’t actually have a right to get them back.

Janus turned on his heel and walked away before he was seen, deciding to circle the block while he planned. This was going to be harder than he thought.

*** 

“Don’t worry, sweetness. We’ll show you the ropes around here,” Remus said and he carried a crate of mushrooms into the shop, “Later if you like I could show you some other ropes.”

He winked.

He had been calling Patton all kinds of things like that, “Sweetness”, “Sugar”, “Doll”. Patton was just trying to stop blushing and whenever they thought they had calmed down Remus would drop in some other more… _innappropirate_ joke.

Patton didn’t know what to do except splutter and get flustered.

The four inhabitants of the house they had stayed at last night had been told to show Patton around. Which Patton knew was Janus speak for, “Distract Patton while I do something they wouldn’t approve of.” 

So the four of them had decided to take Patton to their shop. 

Patton still wasn’t sure what the shop _was_. At first, it seemed like a bakery because of the ovens in the back but then Patton looked at the things on the shelves and they were all jars full of stuff that seemed like herbs and medicines. Maybe the herbs were for medicines? They had everything from Asprin to Ajwain (not that Patton would know what ajwain was if it weren’t for the label on the bottle). Some of them shimmered in a way that Patton couldn’t deny had to be magic. There was also a room in the back draped with silks and in the center stood a table draped in a red mesh.

“What is it you guys do exactly?” They asked looking around.

“We’ve already told you, babes, we’re healers,” Remy called, popping his head out of the kitchen for a moment.

“But then what's the food for? And that table back there?”

“The table is the room we do procedures in and the food is just because a lot of problems, emotions, and physical, can be fixed with a snack,” Emile said with a smile.

Roman spoke up, “If that were true my presence would be healing enough for our customers.”

“Sorry, my Seelie sibling, he said ‘snack’ not ‘trash sack’ clean out your ears,” Remus snarked as he moved jars of mushrooms onto shelves.

“Excuse me, last I checked it wasn’t me who had trouble telling those two things apart,” Roman replied with an offended noise.

“It’s not my fault I got into the trash can. It was during the moon!” Remus complained, “It's your job to make sure I don’t eat anything I shouldn't!”

“No, it's my job to make sure _all of you_ don’t eat anything you shouldn’t and at the time Remy and Emile were trying to get into the chocolate coffee beans. By the time I saved them you had committed what should count as war crimes.”

“It couldn’t have been that bad!”

“You ripped the bag and rolled in the trash. Your fur was matted with old cheese!”

Patton wrinkled their nose. They liked Remus well enough but that was not a fun picture. Patton would make a _cheesy_ joke usually, but if they did now it would probably _stink_. Patton giggled internally at their own pun.

“Roman, honey, don’t talk about Ree rolling in the trash in front of Patton you’ll embarrass him,” Emile said gently brushing their hand against Roman’s arm. 

“Yeah! Do it in front of Janus. Janus already knows how batshit insane Remus is. Patton’s gotten the good first impression of meeting protective Remus last night,” Remy grinned as he exited the kitchen.

“Here Patton would you mind helping out?” Remy asked carrying out a basket of muffins.

“Oh sure, what can I do?” They said. It was a relief to have something to occupy themselves.

“Stand outside and hold this basket of muffins and take three bronze for each. We have regulars who don’t have time to come in on their way to work but these bitches sell themselves and having a basket out in the morning is always good,” Remy said unloading the large basket into their arms.

Patton’s nose caught the smell of something delicious.

“Wow, these smell great Remy!” Patton said, unable to place what muffin flavors they were smelling.

“Thanks, babe! I’m sure they aren’t quite appetizing but still glad you like ‘em,” Remy said with what seemed to be a very rare genuine smile.

But Patton was confused. Why wouldn’t they be appetizing? They felt their stomach rumble as they took a deep inhale. They smelled great- _oh, Oh god_.

The delicious scent dissipated as Remy walked away.

Patton swallowed back a shocked sound. It was Remy that smelled so good. _Oh no…._

Remus seemed to see what they were thinking. 

He came closer bringing with him an entirely different but possibly even better smell.

Patton bit their lip. This was Bad.

“We can get you a bag of blood, We keep food for everyone stocked up here,” Remus told them, “You’re just a baby vamp, you have to eat more often or you’ll fall into hibernation.”

“Hibernation?” Patton asked weakly, trying to not lean toward Remus as they spoke.

“Yea your body decides that there’s a food shortage and puts you to sleep until you get more blood. That can go on a very long time.”

“How long till that happens?” Patton asked.

Remus shrugged, “Dunno depends on metabolism and shit. But also if you don’t eat soon your self-control might break and you’ll end up biting someone.”

“I will?” Patton asked. All of their sense were trained on Remus. The way he sounded, the way he smelled.

“Patton!” Emile exclaimed. Emile’s voice snapped Patton out of their stupor. They had been leaning toward Remus, their fangs had elongated in their mouth.

Emile continued more calmly, “Patton don't bite him. He’ll be woozy all day. Remus, you should know better than tempting them like that when they're so new to this!”

“Patton I must insist you eat,” Roman told them gently, xe was holding a bag of blood like Patton had seen last night.

“Its- its-” Patton stuttered.

“I know, I won’t lie to you, Patton. I don’t envy the transition you’re going through right now but you have to eat,” Roman said, pressing the bag into their hand.

“Remus, why does this bag have your name on it?” Patton asked. Their hands were shaking.

“It’s my blood,” Remus shrugged.

The bag slipped out of Patton’s hand and landed on the floor with a soft thump.

“I can’t guys. I didn’t even want- I can’t- I need- I need Janus where is he?” Patton gasped, clasping their hands to their chest. They felt their knees shaking. Remus’s arms were there as Patton’s legs gave out.

***

Janus was going to get Quiche and that cardigan if it killed him, he decided as he stood in the alley behind Patton’s parents’ house.

He just had to hop the brick wall into the backyard, climb the tree near the house up to the roof and slip down the chimney into Patton’s fireplace. Then he could grab the stuff and head out the window, shimmying down the rain pipe to the ground below without being seen.

Easy. Jay definitely had the necessary skills for this.

…. Right so better get to work. 

***

“...hold for seven, out for eight. Good. How are you feeling now?” Roman was crouched down in front of Patton.

“...bad,” Patton whispered honestly.

“That makes sense,” Remus said. Patton was leaning back against him and had been for several minutes while they panicked.

“To answer your question, our fangy friend is topside right now grabbing something,” Remus said rubbing comforting circles on Patton’s hand with his thumb

“R-right he’s busy. That makes sense. I just panicked and… please don’t tell him I asked. I’m sorry, You guys are busy and I just-”

“Had an understandable emotional reaction to a major change in your life,” Emile interrupted.

Patton sighed knowing that despite Emile’s words this all was very inconvenient for then four of them. It had to be. Patton had dropped like three muffins on the floor and had a panic attack while they needed to get ready to open for the morning.

And worst of all Remus smelled _so nice_. He was so close, Patton could just turn their head and...

“P-pass it here,” Patton said, trying to suppress the stutter in their voice. They could feel their teeth sharpen.

“What?”

“The blood I- I need it. Please?” Patton said, holding out a hand for it.

Roman picked up the bag and passed it to Patton.

Patton squeezed their eyes shut, “So I just bite down?”

“Yep, just chomp and suck. I normally don’t suggest using teeth but in this case, ya gotta,” Remus said, a grin in his voice. “With living things, you gotta wait till the venom kicks in but this is just a bag so it won’t squirm too much.”

Patton’s eyes flew open, “Venom?!”

“A light muscle relaxant,” Roman said gently, “It's just there to make sure that whoever you bite doesn’t move too much and get hurt.”

“Oh, um, okay good to know,” Patton said nodding, clutching the bag. It was room temperature now from being in people's hands.

Patton steadied themself, closed their eyes, and inhaled deeply. Remus smelled good so this was going to taste good too. Probably. Hopefully.

And with that Patton clamped down on the bag. Warm liquid flooded into their mouth and…

Patton wasn’t certain what they expected honestly. I didn’t suddenly taste like steak or any other food for that matter. It still tasted like blood. The flavor was coppery and sharp with hints at other flavors Patton couldn’t identify. It definitely had traces of Remus to it but it tasted like blood. 

What changed was how their body reacted to it. It was food, it tasted good. Patton felt themself sigh as they drank.

“Better?” Remus asked as Patton finished draining the bag.

“Yeah,” Patton said, trying for a shaky smile. 

Then a knock came at the glass front door of the shop.

“Sorry! We’re not open yet, we still-” Emile froze for just a moment, eyes widening, before bustling over to the door and unlocking it, “Hello, sir.” His voice came out an octave higher than it had last been. 

Patton turned to see who it was, trying to straighten up and appear put-together despite sitting on the floor.

There was a man in a suit striding into the shop past Emile, “I apologize for the intrusion. Not to worry, I am not here to demand service at this time.”

His eyes landed on Patton and their heart stopped. The eyes were solid navy blue, no whites, no pupils just solid unnatural blue, peering at Patton from behind wireframes glasses. A chill gripped Patton despite their sweatshirt and the heat of Remus at their back

“Patton Hart I presume?” he said, extending his hand to Patton, who had unconsciously grabbed hold of Remus’s shirt. Patton forced themself to release the fabric and took the hand to shake it. Next thing Patton knew they were standing, having been pulled upward by the man. Remus and Roman both scrambled to their feet as well.

“I would appreciate you joining me at my office, my car is outside, it shouldn’t take more than an hour or two in total.”

Patton gently pulled their hand away, feeling uncomfy about not knowing where the man was looking, “I don’t mean to be rude or anything but who _are_ you and why would I get in a car with a stranger?”

There was a collective sharp intake of breath. Everything was still as the man raised an eyebrow ever so slightly.

“I am Mayor Logan Croft and I have interviews with every new person who enters my city. Exceptions, of course, being made for people who were born here or were here during the construction of the city. You however are neither of those things so I require a meeting with you.”

Patton glanced back at the others who all nodded, making shooing motions. Remus didn’t answer except for taking a step closer to Patton and reaching out a hand before seeming to think better of it and dropping his arm back to his side.

Patton squared their shoulders, “Okay.” They didn’t know why the others seemed so afraid of this guy but they would just have to find out. Sure he was intimidating but so far he seemed mostly polite.

“Excellent let’s go.”

***

 _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck._ The cops were after him because they spotted him leaving Patton’s window. He was much faster than them, these woods were his but still, he couldn’t risk being seen or else he wouldn’t be able to come up to the surface for like a few years which would majorly suck. He liked it underground but he didn’t actually have a steady source of money down there. Like he had some but not enough to really live on.

Up here he had a bank account with a good amount of money, down there he was just a hundred-year-old high school drop out.

He still needed to finish his senior year and get his diploma, so he couldn’t let himself get caught.

He was near the mouth of the cave, if he could get in then he would be home free. Fuck’s sake, this was a lot of work just to get his friend their own belongings.

***

“Thank you for joining me,” The mayor said after a few minutes of silence in the car.

“Well um… no offense, sir, you didn’t exactly give me much choice. What was I gonna do? Run away?” Patton asked, looking down at their own hands in their lap.

The mayor looked at them seeming surprised, “That is a valid point. In that case, I apologize for interrupting your day.”

“That’s okay,” Patton shrugged wishing Janus was here or even Remus and the others.

“I’m sure you have questions?” He said, “Newcomers often do and since you only arrived last night I imagine there hasn’t been much time for answers. You may ask me anything.”

Patton appreciated the offer for answers.

“What’s the name of this place?” Patton asked gesturing around.

“This particular place in town is a bridge over the Tylwyth Teg river.”

“Emile said those words last night,” Patton said, recognizing the phrase, “Is that the name of the river?”

“Yes, the river runs the length of the city as it is what carved out the original caves before they were opened up into a cavern.”

“That’s pretty neat… I actually meant the name of the town though.”

“Ah, my apologies I understand now. Unfortunately, I have no answer to that question as the town has no name. When I first began construction on this place I enlisted the help of fairies. For fairies names equal control. Our fairie population feels safer living in a place with no name,” His voice was full of thinly restrained tension, clearly, this was an old frustration of his.

“You built this place?” Patton asked.

“Not me personally but yes I began the project fifty-three years, eight months, and three days ago.”

“You’re fifty-three?!” Patton asked shocked. The mayor despite his imposing presence didn’t look older than maybe mid-twenties.

“Of course not,” he said, voice slightly offended, “I’m three hundred twenty-nine years old!”

“WHAT?!” 

Then a look of understanding crossed the mayor’s face, “Ah no I understand you are still used to a human time scale, I am a demon and am a young adult for my species although i will never age beyond this physically.”

“Oh!” Patton hadn’t realized that everyone operated on such different times scales. Janus had mentioned that Roman couldn’t be older than thirty last night but Patton hadn’t had a chance to ask for clarification. 

How old was Janus really?

“Driver pull up next to this stand,” He said and the driver pulled to a stop. The mayor rolled down the window, “Hello, I would like to make a purchase?”

“Uhm-uh- Sure thing mister!” The kid standing by the side of the road said, their skin was a lime green color and they seemed to be trying to be just as nervous as the others had been, “Will you please buy them from my basket and not the main stand? My mom says I can have a copper for every two roses I sell! Um- if- if that’s not to much trouble.”

The mayor nodded, “That sounds like a noble cause. Twelve please.”

Logan passed the kid a gold piece. The kid just stared at it in shock before shoving it in the money pouch and quickly trying to find the best roses.

The mayor turned to Patton, “Would you like one?”

“What?”

“I like to occasionally offer my patronage to businesses at random so I will be buying a dozen roses anyway but if you would like one, you may have it. You look as if you might be the type to enjoy flowers.”

“Oh… Yes please, that’s really nice of you.”

The mayor’s eyebrows twitched upward again, “Yes well…” He cleared his throat and turned away.

The kid handed him the twelve roses in shaking hands, “Thanks so much, Sir!”

“And this is for you, it is customary to tip,” The mayor passed the kid a silver coin.

“Wow!”

What almost seemed like a smile twitched across the mayor’s face, he addressed the driver, “Drive on.”

He passed Patton one of the roses. 

“We are nearly at my office,” He said looking at Patton with those solid blue eyes.

Patton lifted the flower to their nose. Maybe this meeting wasn’t so bad after all.

***

“I’d like to just discuss with you some of your personal information if you’re willing. I know your name is Patton Hart, they/them pronouns, my suggestion is to prevent identity theft by never revealing your middle name and-”

“How did you find my name?” Patton cut in, then winced, “Sorry, I interrupted that was rude.”

Logan felt a smile tug at his own lips, “No that’s a very perceptive question. I receive a digital version of the reports of what new people come into the town.”

“Where did the report come from?” Patton asked tilting their head slightly.

Logan leaned forward to grab the edge of his monitors and turned his computer toward Patton to show them the report, “It's actually quite fascinating the protection runes in the cave serve as a sort of magical scanner. They take down the name and pronouns of any newcomers, record their species, and their demeanor towards the town. Of course, it doesn’t work on anyone who has been here before so I will have to inquire as to who your sire is?”

“My… sire?”

“Who turned you?” Logan clarified.

“Oh! My friend Janice!” Patton said, their face lighting up. Their smile was the closest thing Logan had seen to what it felt like emotionally to see a sunrise. That was worrisome.

“Lovely,” Logan said softly as he took in their smile. 

Wait _what_?! Hold on just a moment that was not appropriate at all.

“Lovely?” Patton repeated, their smile becoming confused. 

Logan sat up if possible even straighter and turned toward his computer, “Yes, lovely, thank you for that information, may I have her last name?”

“His actually, it’s J-A-N-U-S, and his last name is Edwards,” Patton corrected.

“Oh, my apologies I- wait... did you say ‘Edwards’?” Logan asked, meeting their eye.

“Mmm-hmm do you know him?”

“I- no, my apologies I simply knew someone by that name long ago, but he died. A simple coincidence.”

Logan gritted his teeth as he stared at his keyboard. Still, after all these years, why did just his name affect him so?

Then there was a hand laid over his and Logan’s gaze snapped up to see Patton with a sympathetic look.

“He must have been very important to you,” They said. Their voice was so gentle as if they didn’t fear him at all. 

“He was,” Logan admitted.

This was the first time that someone warmed up to him so quickly. The fear was to be expected it figuratively ‘came with the territory’ for a prince of hell but it was quite rare for someone to snap at him as Patton had in the shop and even more rare for them to stop being afraid of him so quickly.

“I’m sorry you lost him.”

“It was my own fault for falling in love with a mortal,” He found himself saying, “I haven’t made that mistake again.” 

Why would he say that? Why would he say that out loud to this vampire when he hadn’t even said as much to Virgil?

Logan cleared his throat and pulled away from Patton’s hand, “Ah, anyway, do you intend to live and/or be employed down here?”

“Well I was going to live with Janus and his house is in the woods up there so no. But I was thinking about maybe getting a job in town…”

“Did you have anywhere in mind?” Logan found himself asking as he entered the information into his file on Patton. He didn’t need that information, why did he ask?

“Not yet, I don’t think they actually need any more help at the shop you found me at,” Patton said with a shrug, “But it’s okay I’ll find something and if not I can always get a night job on the surface.”

Logan felt an unpleasant sinking sensation in his chest. If Patton got a surface job, Logan was unlikely to see them again. In fact, in most situations, Logan was unlikely to see them again. That shouldn’t bother him. He didn’t know this person. It didn’t mat-

“I believe the library is hiring,” His mouth said.

“Oh! Really?”

No, not really, not exactly. Virgil had been the librarian there for thirty years and gave up looking for an assistant he could tolerate after two years. But if Patton got a job there Logan could occasionally see him if he wished to. He could call Virgil and beg him to let Patton interview.

“I believe so. There is a bridge about three blocks northwest of here and on the other side is the library. I suggest dropping by there and talking to the librarian about possible positions.”

“Thanks for the tip! Is there anything else you need Mr. Mayor?”

Logan forced himself not to smile at the excitement in Patton’s eyes, “No that is all. Thank you for your time, Mr. Hart.”

“Thank you,” Patton said as they rushed out.

“I could give you-” The door shut with a click, “a ride.” Logan finished softly.

What was he doing, he wondered miserably. 

He huffed and picked up the phone, dialing the library number.

“Hey, Lo,” Virgil greeted, recognizing the number of his office phone.

“Hello Virgil, I have a favor to ask…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the boys have officially been brought in now!! Yay!  
> and you got a little background on Logan and also Janus!


	5. Sometimes You Gotta Bleed to Know

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [ Tear In My Heart by Twenty One Pilots](https://youtu.be/nky4me4NP70)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay okay I know what you thinking "Define, what the hell you just posted yesterday why are you posting today?"
> 
> Well I realized this morning that today is the two year anniversary of me posting my first fic on here and I teand to be a touch sentimental with these things so I decided to poat this in celebration
> 
> Warning: biting (consensual)

“You sent them with _the mayor_?!” Janus demanded, “The guy so intimidating that Emile starts getting nervous every time he remembers his meeting with him?!”

“Janus, babe, he’s not a bad guy just very serious,” Remy said with an eye roll as he carried the trays of bread out front.

“Easy for you to say, you grew up here! You never had to meet him!” Janus exclaimed.

“Did you ever meet him, Jay?” Remus asked as he shoved bottles of herbs onto shelves. Remus knew the answer but he was also hoping to get Janus to chill out.

“No, I was hibernating down here when the town was built so we never met,” Janus said feebly, Remus saw the moment his anger deflated, “Sorry guys I just feel kinda protective over them after last night…”

“Look they’ll be just fine,” Roman said in a reassuring tone, “We even got them to eat before they left! We aren’t incompetent.”

Xe grabbed a bottle of herbs and went to the backroom to tend a patient there.

Janus stopped, “You did?”

“Mmmhmm, Drank a whole quart of my blood,” Remus said proudly, “I may have helped them along by standing a little too close so they could smell me.” He wiggled his shoulder and gave Janus a mischievous look.

“Remus that is incredibly dangerous,” Emile admonished tiredly, as he headed to the backroom to help, leaving Remus and Janus alone.

Remus shrugged, “What?! Worst case scenario they bite me and end up eating anyway.” 

Janus suddenly grabbed him and tugged him into a crushing hug, "Thanks, Ree. But really be more careful, they could have torn your throat out. In fact, either of us could have last night."

"But ya didn't," Remus snarked. 

Janus pushed him away playfully, "Don’t you quote vine at me, you young hooligan. We were having a moment. It’s ruined now."

"Yeah well today was supposed to be my day off so why doncha walk me home and we can have a few more moments while we wait for Patton to get back?"

"Ugh you make everything sound like a preposition," Janus said slinging an arm over Remus's shoulder as they made their way out the front of the shop.

"That time it was," Remus muttered.

***

"Alright Logan, they're here, I’ll give them a shot, you owe me," Virgil muttered into the phone before hanging up.

"Hello?" A voice called, "I’m sorry is anyone here?"

"Yeah, hey can I help you?" Virgil said floating out from behind the desk. 

The person, most likely Patton, let out a squeak of surprise, "Oh! Oh. Oh goodness, I'm sorry I guess I'm still getting used to meeting people of species other than humans. I've only known you all- erm- _we all_ exist since last night."

Virgil snorted, one day in and already looking for a job, capitalism at work, "Its okay even down here ghosts tend to spook people when we first come into view. People can only see us when we've specifically decided we want to be seen. Its kinda fun actually, watching people flinch."

"O-oh, well... hello, I'm Patton. Are you... the librarian?"

Virgil looked them up and down. Ruffled hair, too big hoodie that they kept tugging at the front of, a this _look_ in their eye that made them seem… tired. More tired than your average teen, Virgil should know, it's the look that greeted him in the mirror every morning.

"Yeah that's me, " Virgil said, stuffing his hands in his pockets.

"Sorry, It’s just you look… my age?"

Virgil laughed uncomfortably, why was age such a big deal to people when it came to librarians?

"Uh yeah I died when I was seventeen but I've been running this place for almost thirty years," Virgil said, his voice coming out more bitter than he meant it to.

"Oh, I'm sorry I wasn't judging I was actually kinda relieved. See I came here to ask for a job. I just met the mayor and he kinda scared me at first but you seem… well not really any less intimidating but it helps to at least know when someone’s looking at you," Patton smiled.

Virgil cracked up laughing, he could see why Logan liked them, very blunt, "Alright, you got yourself an interview. Why do you want the job?”

“Uhm the whole answer or the nicer half answer?” They shuffled nervously.

Virgil smirked, “I’ll take the whole answer.”

“Well I’m not really actually much for reading anymore but I like just being in libraries. I know you’re supposed to love books for what’s inside them and everything but I don’t have the energy to read a lot lately. Sometimes it’s just nice to be in a library because you don’t feel so alone when there are books around you,” Patton said looking around at the long aisles of tall shelves covered with everything from heavy tomes on necromancy to the latest Rick Riordan book. 

Virgil prided himself on having something for everyone in his library even if that something was just a warm room with internet access and beanbag chairs.

“Also money would help me buy things,” Patton said snapping their gaze back to Virgil.

Virgil smirked at that last part.

“You have the job.”

“What?”

“You understand libraries better than anyone else I’ve interviewed,” Virgil shrugged, “Start whenever you want.”

Patton blinked a few times seeming shocked that the interview was over so fast.

“Is it okay if I take a few days? I’ve been having kinda a… a bad week ya know?” Patton asked.

“First thing to know about me, if I said it, I mean it. Start _whenever_ you want. I’ve run this library by myself for three decades, I can wait a week.”

Patton shifted back and forth seeming not ready to leave.

“Is there anything else?” Virgil asked, reaching his limit with new interactions.

“Uhm can I just wander for a little bit, I need a little alone time and once I go back to well I guess it’s my home now I think I’m going to have a lot of explaining to do about my day today.”

Virgil nodded, “Sure thing. Stay as long as you like. No such thing as loitering in a library.”

Patton smiled softly, “Thank you, Mr….?”

“No mister, just call me Virgil.”

“Thank you, Virgil.”

***

Remus and Janus were crashed in Remus’s bedroom, sprawled across the waterbed each scrolling through their phones separately.

Then Remus spoke, “Are you hungry?”

“Eh not particularly, I had a quart this morning but I could eat,” Janus shrugged, not lifting his gaze from his phone.

Then the bed shifted and Remus was up on his elbow looking down at him, “Do you wanna?”

At that Janus put down his phone and shifted up onto his elbow, “‘Do I wanna’ What?”

“Eat,” Remus said as if it were obvious.

“I don’t want to just eat all the bags of blood you guys have here, I’m okay,” Janus felt like Remus was trying to get at something without saying it.

“I wasn’t offering you a bag.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah…”

“Oh yes, because I’m just going to casually bite my friend because venom doesn’t matter _at all_.”

Remus shook his head rapidly, “I don’t mind.”

“What then? Are you trying to use my venom to get high?” 

“Not really I just want you to bite me,” Remus shrugged.

“Pfft kinky,” Janus said, realizing that Remus was joking. He must be.

Remus broke into a grin, “Yeah basically.”

Janus shoved his shoulder playfully, “Shut up.” 

Remus’s grin fell and he flopped back onto the bed, “Fine.” He picked up his phone and glared at the screen. He was… _pouting_???

“Whoa whoa, are you serious?” Janus asked. He was the one leaning over Remus now.

“Yeah!” Remus said, throwing his phone down.

“I- why do you want to do this?” He asked more gently because clearly Remus was feeling more sensitive about this topic than his usual random fare.

“I- We just haven’t done that,” Remus said seeming almost shy, “I wanna know what it feels like.”

This was beyond weird for Remus which made me a little more inclined to acquiesce. If only to see what about this was so important to him.

“Okay,” Janus said. This was important to him for some reason and he could do this for Remus. It wasn’t like his blood tasted bad. In fact, Janus would never admit it because that’d be weird, but Remus’s blood was some of the best he’d had.

“You’ll do it?” Remus said his eyes lighting up with that chaotic, manic light.

“Yes, but you have to let me clean the punctures after,” Janus said sitting up, and facing Remus. He would just have exhibit perfect self-control, only take a few sips. It should be easier since he had already fed today.

Remus sat up too, grinning, “You got it.” He took off his choker and bared his throat to Janus.

Janus leaned in and caught a whiff of Remus’s scent. God he smelled better than he had any right to considering he had just spent the last three hours unloading supplies from delivery trucks. He always smelled like pine despite the fact that there weren’t even any trees in town. 

He smelled happy. Janus had always been able to read emotions from scents, he wasn’t sure how common that skill was for vamps. Without actually deciding to, he leaned in and buried his face in the crook of Remus’s neck. Some instinct taking over telling him to get closer to Remus.

“What are you doing?” Remus asked, stiffening slightly but still leaning into the touch. Janus jerked back. Oh god what _was_ he doing? The action itself had been bad enough but he realized with a start exactly where he’d been touching. 

That spot he had been rubbing his face against was Remus’s scent gland, a spot that’s literally one of the most intimate parts of a werewolf’s body. So much for self-control. What was wrong with him? He didn’t even like Remus that way, and here was essentially groping his best friend. God Remus must be pissed and-

That’s when he realized that Remus didn’t seem _un_ happy. Neither his expression nor his scent had really changed at all. 

God why was he still thinking about how Remus smelled? Goddamn these vampire senses and what they’d done to him.

“Sorry,” Janus muttered not sure how long that silence had lasted.

“It’s okay.”

It definitely wasn’t okay, Janus shouldn’t have done that but it seemed like Remus had moved on so he did too. 

Janus scooted closer and laid a hand on Remus’s cheek and the other on Remus’s shoulder. To hold him still, he told himself, not for the extra contact.

Janus felt his fangs come out finally. He took a breath and felt the elongated canines brush Remus’s skin. Remus’s breath caught and in the moment before he started breathing again Janus’s fangs broke skin. One breath, two, and then Remus relaxed. The tension left his body somewhat and the venom opening his blood vessels. 

Janus pulled away slightly to let his fangs retract and covered the wound with his mouth. Remus let out a whimper. 

Remus was only the third person Janus had ever bitten and this was nothing like what happened last night with Patton. That had been frantic, there had been dirt and the imminent threat of death. And it hadn’t really been a choice.

And the time before that had been an accident, a loss of control, violence against a stranger because he was starving. She had survived, just barely, but Janus went into hibernation soon after, the guilt weighing too heavily on him to bring himself to eat.

This was different. It was gentle, intentional, and the only loss of control was the moment after he stopped drinking when Janus’s lips lingered against Remus’s skin for a split second longer than he had to. 

Then he pulled back.

“Good?” He said softly not sure what exactly it was he was asking. He searched Remus’s face for an answer.

“Yeah,” Remus nodded, seeming sleepy, a side effect of the venom.

“Do you still have a first aid kit in here?”

“Mmmhmm is in that drawer,” Remus yawned contentedly as he pointed to the top drawer of his dress.

“Seriously? You keep it in the sex drawer?” Janus groaned, knowing that that was where Remus kept all his sexual paraphernalia. 

Look there were a lot of ways Janus had modernized and acted most like your average young adult now but that one thing he stood firm on, sex was a thing that was only discussed or even acknowledged between partners.

Remus had the opposite philosophy.

“Dunno what to tell you, Mr. J, band-aids are sometimes a real important part of my aftercare.”

“Mr. J?” Janus questioned as he slid open the draw and pointedly ignored most of its contents in favor of the bright red box that was slid into the back corner.

“Yeah like Harley calls Joker,” Remus explained and he laid back against the bed, “An’ cuz your name starts with a J.”

“As much as I _just love_ that comparison I hope the resemblance between me and him isn’t too uncanny?” Janus said sarcastically as he sat back on the overly malleable bed.

“Nah, mainly just the J and the both having face scars, why?”

“Well I’d just like to think I treat you better than he treats Harley. Not exactly the healthiest relationship.”

“Hmm you do,” Remus said, seeming to be dozing off as Janus prepared the alcohol swab, “Much better. Like this. This was nice.”

“I’m glad.”

“I haven’t done this before,” Remus told him.

“Me neither,” Janus admitted, “Not like this.”

“Really?” Remus asked, cracking one eye open, “Not even with the famous demon jazz boyfriend?”

Janus rolled his eyes, perhaps he had talked about his ex one two many times, “For the record, you don’t have to use the word jazz to describe everything from the twenties, especially since he didn’t play jazz music. And no, not even him. We didn’t know each other when I was a vampire.”

“Why?” Remus asked, shutting his eyes again against the sting of the alcohol wipe.

“I didn’t want him to see me with the scar, I used to think it made me ugly. I didn’t think he’d like me anymore…” Janus told him, “Stupid teenage worries. By the time I was over it I had already hibernated and he was long gone.”

“I’m sorry your boyfriend thinks your dead and your crush made you puke,” Remus murmured, “I think you’re pretty.”

Just the venom talking, Remus probably wouldn’t fully remember this part of the conversation anyway.

“Thank you Ree,” Janus said sticking the bandaid to his neck gently, “I think you’re quite handsome.”

Remus let out a contented hum and with that fell asleep.

***

Patton didn’t know what time it was, there was no daylight outside the windows and their phone had died last night at some point and they'd been too nervous to ask anyone to use a charger. It didn't help that Patton had dozed off in a reading corner for a while and had no idea how long they slept.

How long had it been since they left with Logan? They weren’t sure they really cared they just didnt want to worry Janus. 

Then Virgil appeared in front of them.

"Ah!" Patton cried out.

Virgil chuckled, "Shhhh, this is a library. I gotta close up for the night will you be okay getting home?"

Oh boy, it was much later than they thought. Gosh, after all they put Janus through yesterday and now they just fall asleep in the library without telling him they had even left...

"Uhm do you have a phone charger I can borrow?" 

Virgil's look softened, "Yeah… hey, what’s up?"

"What do you mean?" Patton said trying for a smile.

"I mean the fact that your crying."

Patton lifted a hand to their face. Virgil was right, their face was wet with tears.

"C’mon, man, let's get you to a charger and we can talk."

Patton let Virgil lead them to the front desk. As they devolved further into hiccupy whimpers that they couldn’t seem to stop.

Virgil held out a hand when they made it to the desk, "Phone."

Patton handed it over and watched as Virgil plugged it in.

"Okay cupcake, spill. What's eating you?" Despite the harshness of the words, the tone was surprisingly gentle.

"I- I did something bad last night, like really bad and so selfish. I don’t really deserve to have people treat me as gently as they did last night and this morning. And- and-"

"What'd you do?" Virgil patted the chair next to him. Patton sat in it, glad to let their shaking legs relax.

"I c-can't tell you," Patton said trying to get themself under control but only working themself up to hyperventilating, "You shouldn’t be so nice to me either I'm so selfish."

"Patton, my best friend in the world killed four people in 1928 and I love him more than anything. So lets for a moment assume that you killed four people last night."

"But I didnt!" Patton gasped.

"Fine two people, then," Virgil conceded.

"I wouldn't do that!"

Virgil frowned doubtfully, "Assualt and battery?"

"No I would never hurt other people on purpose!"

Virgil grinned, "Exactly."

"What?"

"You would never hurt other people on purpose and that's the mark of a good person in my book, and I bet your friends agree."

"But I hurt my friend…"

"Was it an accident?"

"Yeah…"

"Then just apologize. You've had a rough twenty-four hours, you gotta cut yourself some slack."

Virgil’s words slowly sunk in.

"Thank you, Virgil..."

"Don't worry about it, cupcake. I’m gonna start sweeping. You can stick around until seven fifty-five. See ya later."

Then Virgil’s phone went off, he pulled it out of his pocket with a frown. It was strange seeing the real and solid object being pulled out of the slightly translucent fabric.

He smirked at the screen and answered, “Eh, what’s up doc?”

“Patton Hart?” Virgil mumbled looking confused, then he looked up at Patton, holding the phone to his chest, “Hey cupcake, is that your last name?”

Patton nodded quickly.

“Do you know Emile Picani and do you mind if he knows where you are?”

“Oh I know him, yeah you can tell him.”

Virgil lifted the phone back to his ear. “Yea they’re here, I think they were probably gonna call you but their phone was dead,” Virgil said, picking up the broom.

“How did he know I was here?” Patton asked.

Virgil held up a finger, “Hey, how’d ya know they were here?”

Virgil looked at them and said, “They called The Mayor’s Office.”

Patton’s mouth formed into a silent “oh” shape.

Virgil’s next words were addressed to Emile, “Yeah, they’re good here for a few more minutes if you get your asses over here fast…. Okay, sweet. Bye.”

And with that Virgil hung up, “Your pals will be here in five to get you. I really do gotta get sweeping. Lemme know when the doc’s here its been a while since he and I have caught up.”

“Okay, thank you,” Patton said, feeling a little better.

“Don’t worry about it.”

***

“Jay! Jay! I got a job!” Patton exclaimed in the first show of positive emotion Janus had seen from them since last night. 

Which of course made Janus immediately suspicious of it. Was it a front? Or was this a true show of excitement? 

Janus was saved from having to find the answer to that question by being able to fall back on his very real shock, “You... did?? What have you been up to all day???”

Patton gave him a quick summary of their day.

“That’s- that’s really great Pat,” Janus said accepting the hug that Patton had wrapped him in in their, seemingly organic, excitement.

“How could I not hire them they’re the first person to walk through my doors asking for a job who wasn’t a pretentious prick,” A voice from down the aisle called.

Janus jumped slightly as he turned to look at the man striding their way with a broom. Clearly a ghost and probably the librarian. Not that Janus tended to come to the library down here often enough to actually know.

“Virgil! Long time no see!” Emile exclaimed.

“Was that a ghost joke, you furry bastard?” Virgil grinned back.

Emile opened his arms for an embrace, “Corporeal today? I see you’re holding a broom.”

“My phone keeps falling out of my pocket but we can certainly try,” Virgil said accepting the hug.

They parted ways after a few seconds.

“Patton, I hope you’ve been treating my husband right,” Emile said with a teasing smile.

“I’m sorry _what_?” Remy asked stepping forward and wrapping an arm around Emile’s shoulders protectively. Roman came to Emile’s other side and wrapped an arm around his waist.

“Oh we just call each other that because during my university days I spent more time here than I would have with my theoretical husband,” Emile giggled awkwardly.

Remus came up behind patton and Janus and whispered, “Bet you five silver that Roman does something rash.”

“No no xe’s feeding off of Remy’s jealousy, nothing will go further than hanging all over Emile and marking territory,” Janus muttered.

Patton shook their head and they whispered their bet, “Remy is gonna propose.”

And just as they said that Remy said, “Well now that we have Patton back this seems as good a time as any.” Remy dropped to a knee in front of the other two.

Janus blinked a few times and started digging out his wallet.

Remy pulled out the velvet box from his pocket. It was longer than ring boxes typically were and as Remy opened it Janus realized it held three rings in a row. One for each of them.

“Roman, Emile, babes, will you marry me?” 

Roman let out a squeal and jumped into Remy’s arms. Remy caught xem with little trouble until Emile did the same, tackling the other two to the floor.

“Yes! Absolutely!!” Roman cried, burying xyr face in Remy’s neck.

“Oh my god yes!” Emile started peppering both their faces with kisses.

“How’d you know?” Remus demanded as he and Janus handed over the money.

“I could hear Remy fiddling with something in his jacket that sounded like velvet.”

“That’s brilliant,” Janus told them with a grin.

“O-oh thanks?” Patton stuttered out.

Virgil came closer, awkwardly sidling past the three fiancees.

“You must be the infamous librarian. I’ve heard a lot about you,” Janus said holding out a hand to Virgil to shake.

“You have?” Virgil seemed suddenly tense, “What have people been saying about me?”

“Nothing bad,” Janus said dropping his hand awkwardly as the invitation hadn’t been accepted. 

He looked closer at the ghost. He looked young, but then who could really tell? His clothes seemed to be that of a bygone era in recent history that Janus must have slept through. His hair was the sort of windblown style that was without a doubt intentional. His shirt had the word “Metallica” on it which showed a picture of a graveyard full of crosses and the subtitle “Master of Puppets”.

Janus pointed at the shirt, “A band?”

Virgil winced, “Yeah, god don’t kids these days know Metallica?”

“UH yeah, we do!” Remus said sounding excited, “Best song, go!”

“Creeping Death.”

“Eh thats okay but the right answer was King Nothing,” Remus said with a grin.

“It’s pretty good but the songs I heard before I died will always have a special place in my heart,” Virgil said with a shrug, “But its good to know some people still have culture."

“I wouldn’t know I only listened to Sydney Bechet before and now all I listen to is Adele and Bruno Mars,” Janus said with a shrug trying not to show his slight offense at the implication that he was uncultured because he didn’t listen to some band.

“Jay, how old are you?” Patton asked slowly.

“Coming up on my hundred and eighth birthday but in fairness, I slept from 1928 until 2012.”

“That does explain the music taste,” Virgil commented with a hint of sarcasm, "Be that as it may, congrats to you three and hey dont let cupcake here come to work too early. Make sure they take some time to recuperate."

And with that Virgil practically _swaggered_ off into the depths of the library.

"...'Cupcake'?" Janus repeated as the six of them made their way out.

And Patton _blushed_. Their face turned red and they started smiling in that half-ecstatic-half-miserable way that spoke of developing crushes and spelled trouble for Janus.

"Oh that, " Patton laughed awkwardly.

"That's- that's just what he calls me."

"Oh…" Janus said, unable to think of anything else to say.

"Gross," Remus commented quite succinctly.

Janus couldn't agree more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Janus is a mess and I love him


	6. Lay Here All on My Own

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [ Lovesick Fool by The Cab](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K37dNxP24vY)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really like that song for pining remus, like him being just disgusted by the emotions he's feeling because when did he become a mushy lovesick fool
> 
> also warnings: casual kissing, joking use of the word sl*t, usual blood and gore warnings

Patton cried when Janus gave them their cardigan and their stuffed rabbit, Quiche. They had honestly thought they had lost these things along with everything else in their life. But as they clutched the objects to their chest, and were overwhelmed by the scent of what used to smell like home, tears overtook their eyes. 

They were out. They were free. They weren’t obligated to anything except Janus and the promise they made to him and it felt _so good and so terrible_. So very terrible.

They would never see their parents again. The thought stung and was comforting. They were free. They were out. They were gone.

As they clutched quiche to their chest they pulled Janus in for a hug, enveloping the stuffed rabbit in a two-sided embrace and hopefully driving away some of the faint smell of their old detergent. They didn’t want a reminder of all that every time they breathed in around their cardigan.

“Do you want to go home?” Janus asked so softly. And he meant _their home_ where Patton could be just what they were and there weren’t any dinner parties where they had to pretend a boy or a girl.

“Mmmhmm,” Patton managed.

“Okay, let’s get you home.”

***

Remus didn’t sleep that night despite how exhausted he still felt from the leftover aches and pains from the full moon and the venom. His mind was just buzzing with the memory of Janus biting him. Well not so much that as the moment before it when Janus rubbed his face against the crook of his neck. And Janus had said he was handsome! So??? Maybe he liked Remus back!

Remus decided that he would ask Janus out soon, he was probably just to shy to say anything. Remus thought about what it would be like to hold Janus’s hand and god that sounded nice. He started testing out what his name might sound like if he took Janus’s last name. Remus Edwards. Ew, gross no way. But they could share a bed and cuddle and they could go to the fair together and…

Whoa whoa whoa hold on a second since when was Remus such a fuckin sap?! This shit is why he firmly decided to just stop having crushes years ago. He felt like his brain was melting into a puddle of pink goo every time he thought about Janus. 

God this was unfair.

His bed felt emptier than usual.

***

The very next day at ten in the morning Patton was back in Virgil’s library. Didn’t Virgil tell them to take time off?! 

Judging by the dark circles under their eyes the probably didn’t get much sleep.

“Hello? Virgil are you at the desk?” Patton asked looking right at where he was floating.

“How’d you do that?” Virgil demanded, letting Patton see him. Patton didn’t even spook.

They shrugged, “I heard a sort of buzzing, and that’s what you sounded like yesterday…”

“I have a buzzing sound?”

Patton shifted awkwardly, “Yeah... sorry Janus says my hearing is weirdly sharp even for a vampire.”

“No its good to know,” Virgil said with a chuckle, “If I don’t wanna blow my cover while hiding I gotta buzz less. Now tell me, what the fresh hell are you doing here?”

“I… work here?” Patton said hopefully.

“Not yet you don’t, go home Cupcake.”

“Why do you call me that?” Patton asked turning faintly pink which spoke to how well fed they were in equal measure to the emotional response it gave away.

Virgil scratched the back of his head, “Does it matter?” Look as much as he wasn’t one to get a crush on someone the first time he saw them he didn’t feel like explaining the nickname he had given to this kinda adorable Vampire he met because there is no way to end that explanation while still seeming like he was cool.

“Yes,” Patton’s eyes didn’t leave him.

Virgil winced slightly, apparently, he was gonna have to explain, “It’s cuz you’re like sweet and soft and well- ya know kinda adorable. Like- like a cupcake? Whatever it doesn’t matter.” He felt himself flicker the way he tended to when embarrassed.

“You- oh- Uhm, thank you,” Patton glanced down at their feet, “I thought you were just maybe being kinda rude and sarcastic? Like Picking on me for not being tough? But I’m glad that’s not it. I’d much rather be friends with you. You don’t have to say nice stuff like that though.”

Virgil only had one explanation for the tangent he went on in the very next moment and that is impulsivity. 

So he rambled.

“If you wanna be my friend you have to follow my two friendship rules,” Virgil said (making these up on the spot as this was never something he had to get after Logan about), “Rule one, let me be kind to you. That includes accepting compliments _and_ days off, okay? Rule two, do your best to be kind to yourself. If I’m gonna be your friend I’m gonna need to be able to trust that you’re taking care of yourself and you aren’t gonna spiral on me. Can you handle those?”

Holy shit Virgil actually managed to say something deep.

Patton’s shoulder’s slumped slightly, causing the cardigan wrapped around their shoulders to slip a little, they offered Virgil a weak smile, “I can try.”

“Good, now either go home or go curl up in a corner and take a nap. You need it.”

“No, I don’t I slept fine!”

Bullshit. The bags under Patton’s eyes rivaled the makeup Virgil wore when he was solid enough to wear it. But he decided not to call them on it directly.

“You’re still new to this vampire thing which means all your systems are still shifting ad trying to get resettled into their new way of functioning, you need all the food and sleep you can get. You’re called a baby vampire for a reason, cupcake. Go home or get some rest, got it?”

Patton slumped defeatedly but nodded, and murmured a “Thank you.” Before shuffling off to find a cozy corner to rest in.

***

“Hey there, wakey-wakey,” Virgil said, voice panicked. He reached for Patton’s shoulder before remembering that he was so far away from solid that Logan had had to come to unlock the library doors early this morning. His hand passed through the sleeping vampire cause a shiver to shudder through them as they continued to sleep.

“C’mon cupcake wake up, where’s that hearing acuity when I need it?” He pleaded. He needed to get Patton out of here before Logan showed up.

Patton shifted slightly.

“Yeah! That’s it, up and at ‘em sleepy.”

Patton’s face scrunched like someone desperately fighting off waking up.

“Hey dude cmon it’s closing time and I need to get you outta here,” Virgil said nervously. 

Patton’s eyes fluttered open, “Hmm?”

Then they saw Virgil and bolted upright, “Oh my goodness, I’m so sorry!”

Virgil breathed out a sigh of relief, “Its no problem I just gotta close up shop here soon.”

“Why didn’t you shake me?”

“Not much of a physical form today,” Virgil said holding up a hand and wiggling his fingers.

“Oh does that happen a lot?”

Virgil shrugged and nodded non-committally, “It comes and goes. Do you know how to get home on your own?”

“Yes, I’ll be okay, thank you again, Virgil,” Patton clambered to their feet and walked quickly toward the exit before pausing with a hand on the door.

“Hey, do you need help locking the door?” Patton called back. Virgil winced at the shout despite the lack of patrons at this time of night.

“No, I’m fine thanks.”

“Okay,” and with that Patton left.

***

It was a week before Patton even worked up the courage to return to the library after they embarrassed themself like that. Why hadn’t they just gone home? 

During that week they spent a lot of time in Picani’s Pastries and Panaceas which was apparently the name of the shop where Roman, Emile, Remy, and Remus worked. Patton had needed to google what ‘panaceas’ was but now they thought it was a pretty clever name.

Patton kept trying to help with the shop but then somebody would mention the engagement and next thing Patton knew they and Roman had spent six hours debating flower arrangements while Remus made cleaver but inappropriate comments. Remy and Emile didn’t like many of the details of the wedding planning and had even on one occasion specifically invited Patton for dinner to help Roman discuss color schemes. At that time Patton was strictly forbidden from coming into the shop just to hang out because Roman and Remus couldn’t handle the distraction.

So Patton finally worked up the courage to head back to the library. Remy sent a basket of muffins with them claiming that they weren’t good enough to be sold but Patton suspected they were to help Patton get the new boss to like them. Patton also paid for a bag of blood with the money they had won from Janus and Remus.

So Patton pushed their way through the library doors and paused by the desk to listen for that faint buzzing noise. From the sound of it, Virgil wasn’t in the area so Patton simply waited, leaning against the desk until they heard the buzzing approaching.

Virgil appeared, walking down the aisle. He looked more solid today, casting a shadow.

“Hey, cupcake did you bring me muffins?” Virgil said with a smirk as he approached.

“Actually yes! Well, technically I brought it for whoever comes in cuz I didn’t know you can eat but yeah!”

Virgil laughed, “Yeah I can eat and drink fine if I’m solid enough to hold food.”

“Cool!”

Virgil’s hand hovered over a blueberry muffin, “May I?”

Patton nodded, and Virgil took it.

“You can put the rest on that table and people will take them as they feel like it,” Virgil said nodding toward the table. Patton set the basket where they were told.

Virgil took a bite of the muffin, “ _Oh my_ fucking _god this is amazing_. Did you make these? Because if you did I’m proposing here and now.”

Patton laughed, “No it was my friend Remy, Emile’s fiancee so I’m afraid you missed your chance.”

“Damn, Emile and Roman are lucky as hell. Do you wanna try? Vamps can eat little bits of human food right?” Virgil broke off a small piece and held it out to Patton.

Patton took it gingerly, somewhat nervous because they hadn’t consumed solid food since they were turned they turned but… well, they had always loved muffins…

They popped it into their mouth. It tasted like…. Soap. Patton quickly grabbed one of the tissues from the box on the desk and spat the muffin into it.

Virgil winced, "Shit no good huh?”

“Tastes like soap,” Patton muttered as they dropped the tissue into a trashcan.

“Sorry, I don't have any vampire friends other than you, didn’t know human food tastes bad to you."

"Thats okay I didn’t know either."

"So... can I ask what does blood taste like?”

Patton wrinkled their nose, despite getting more used to it over the past week it still was their least favorite part of vampirism, “You sure you wanna hear? It’s kinda gross.”

“Yeah.”

“It tastes like if you mixed pennies and Gatorade but not the fruit flavors part of Gatorade just the kinda salty-sweet part. But it really depends on the person, what they’ve been eating, their species, that stuff. I’ve had werewolf blood and fairie blood so far.”

“Do you have a favorite?” Virgil asked seeming actually interested.

Patton felt weird saying so but, “Well… yeah? I- Uhm,” They really didn’t feel like explaining this part.

“Hey, cupcake it’s okay you don’t gotta answer I’m just a nosey bastard,” Virgil said sensing their discomfort, “Do you wanna ask me an invasive question about my species?”

Patton paused, thinking, “Are you stuck in the clothes you died in?”

“Eh… sorta. Like this is my default outfit and I don’t usually bother to change but I can choose to look however I want, clothes, hair, even body shape if I want.”

“Wait body shape?” Patton said, “So…” They trailed off stopping themself from asking things they shouldn’t.

“What?”

“Never mind I’m sorry its too personal,” Patton said with a nervous smile.

“Tell me anyway.”

“....Dysphoria?” Patton said nervously, “Like for trans ghosts thats not as big a deal cuz they can change.”

“Actually yeah, I’ve er… admittedly toyed with the whole gender thing since I died. Guess I’m kinda nonbinary, demiguy, you know? Kinda tried swapping around pronouns when I felt like it for a while and even tried different body shapes before I decided I felt mostly comfortable like this. The occasional skirt or makeup is about as different as I go.”

“Oh cool! I’m nonbinary too. I’m more like agender. I think you already were calling me the right pronouns?”

“Yeah, the mayor warned me you were coming this way and told me your pronouns over the phone.”.

“Oh, that’s nice of him!”

“Yeah he’s a sweetheart,” Virgil said, his tone going all soft and squishy.

Patton let a little bit of a teasing tone creep into their voice as they asked, “Is he _your_ sweetheart?”

Virgil’s form warbled and he sunk into the desk, seeming to lose cohesion in his surprise, “Oh uh no. Not really?”

“‘Not really’?” Patton questioned.

Virgil tugged himself out of the desk with a huff and Patton thought he’d likely be blushing if he still had skin, “Don’t you have work to do, ya slacker?”

“Sorry boss, but you didn’t tell me what to do yet.”

“There’s a kids read-aloud in two minutes in the children’s section, you can do it,” Virgil said brushing imaginary dust off his clothes and not meeting Patton’s gaze.

“Two minutes? Well I better _book_ it over there!” Patton exclaimed.

“Ugh was that a pun? Thats it, you’re fired.”

Patton grinned, “Well as my final duty before being fired I’ll go read to them.” Patton assumed Virgil was just joking.

***

“Hello?” Janus said answering his phone, he was at lunch at school. Remus knew he didn’t want to be there at all but he needed to get his high school diploma if he was gonna go to college and Jay was super academic like that. 

“Yo snakey,” Remus said by way of greeting.

“Hey Ree.”

“I was wonderin’ if you wanted to go out for drinks tonight? It’s been a day or two since you’ve eaten so I was thinking we could try that bar that is mixing alcohol into their blood for vamps. I checked with Emile to see if that would make you sick and he said that you probably only vomited everywhere the other night because of how much blood you drank with those meds in it and that it would be okay as long as you don’t go on a bender.”

Remus was so nervous, he had been trying to figure out how to ask Janus out for their first date. He wasn’t just gonna sit here with his heart beating so fast it might explode every time he saw Janus forever. It was time to make what they had going on official.

“Now _why on earth would I want to go drinking with my favorite person_ , disgusting,” Janus teased, “what time?” 

Remus felt his whole entire heart yeet itself out of his chest at the words “favorite person”. That’s it, it was official he was in love with Janus. 

“How bout seven?” he said, unable to keep the giddiness out of his voice.

“Sounds like a plan. You bringing the lovesick trio or is it just you, me, and Patton tonight?” Janus asked.

Remus felt his stomach plummet. 

“Patton?” Remus repeated. 

“Yeah, it’d be rude to leave them alone if everyone else is going out,” Janus said casually, “They’re your friend now too right?”

Remus felt wet shit coming out of his eyes and running down his face. He tried to take a deep breath and calm down but Janus must’ve noticed the long silence as he tried to find his voice.

“Ree? You good? What’s wrong?”

“Uh- er- BOOBIES!” Remus shouted into the phone and hanging up. He threw his phone down on the couch and curled in on himself.

Roman was sitting on the other end of the couch and hissed a breath through xyr teeth sympathetically, “He still thinks he doesn’t like you?”

“No he just doesn’t like me and thats fine cuz he’s fucking dumb,” Remus growled out.

“Would you be okay with it if he liked you and Patton?”

“Yeah, ‘course I would. Hell I sometimes think I might be poly I just wish he wasn’t an idiot. He rubbed his face all over my neck like what the fuck? How is that shit platonic?” He mumbled.

“It’s not ‘mus. I’m sorry, you’re right, he really is dumber than a box of rocks.”

“Yeah,” Remus agreed, swiping at the last of his tears.

***

“Right fine you can come back tomorrow cupcake, I’ll probably fire you in the morning,” Virgil said as he set down the broom.

Patton grinned, “Was that a Princess Bride reference?”

“You caught me.”

Patton laughed, “I love that movie.”

“Princess Bride absolutely is the best movie to come out since I died and I could write an essay about why but you really should get out, All I have left to do is lock up. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, I’ll be outside. Janus will be here to pick me up in a minute.”

“Sweet.”

Patton waited outside for a few minutes before Janus showed up looking frazzled.

“I think I pissed Remus off somehow?”

***

Remus was in his bedroom at seven o’clock and absolutely refused to go out. He was sweaty and shirtless in his bedroom and totally not in a state that Remy or Roman would let him out of the house and that was intentional. He didn’t want Janus to just show up here and convince him to go out anyway. He needed an insurance policy and that insurance was going to be Roman and Remy being controlling about his level of personal hygiene. 

There was a knock at the door, he yelled, “WHO IS IT?!” 

You have to yell really loudly to be heard through the door.

“It’s me, we had plans right?” Janus’s voice came from the other side.

“FUCK OFF JANUS I’M NOT GOING TO YOUR FUCKING BABYSHOWER,” He shouted and went back to what he was doing which was punching a punching bag.

“Remus… may _I_ come in?” A different voice said. It was gentler, sweeter.

Patton.

Remus went to the door and tore it open revealing the two of them stand ing in the hall. Remus grabbed Patton’s arm and dragged them into the room and shut the door in Janus’s face.

“Thanks, I feel so appreciated!” Janus shouted from the other side but Remus ignored him.

Remus turned to Patton who was staring at him with wide eyes. 

“What?” Remus asked looking down at himself. He was wearing pants, what was the issue?

Patton’s eyes snapped up to Remus’s face and their face turned slightly pink, “Nothing! I just realized we caught you in the middle of your workout right? I’m sorry, Jay said you guys had plans.”

“We did,” Remus said walking back over to the punching bag and started going at it again, “But that dumbass, oblivious mosquito was so wrapped up talking about… someone else that he didn’t notice how he was basically ripping out my entrails and jumping up and down on them. So our plans are canceled until he pulls his head out of his ass long enough to see where he’s going.”

“What do you mean?” Patton asked, perching on Remus’s bed.

“I mean if he wanted to cut out my heart and take it as a trophy while he hunts someone else he should have literally done it, it would have hurt less,” Remus growled, giving the bag an extra kick.

Patton seemed to be processing what Remus said and then their face transition to something way worse than disgust at his metaphors… they looked like they pitied him, “Oh god, Ree, it was a date wasn’t it?” Patton asked at a very low whisper.

“Apparently not because he started talking about inviting his crush,” Remus said bitterly, “Hey do you think the word crush is cuz when you like someone that much it feels like your brain is in a trash compactor?”

Patton’s eyes grew sad, “Yeah, I think that makes sense.”

“Do you like him?” Remus asked, unable to resist asking.

Patton paused a long time, “...Maybe? I mean… I suppose yes. I just didn’t find out until very recently.”

“Me neither,” Remus said delivering a few more punches to the bag. And finally stopped. He unwrapped the tape from his hands and threw himself down next to Patton.

“I guess it doesn’t matter if I like him if he’s got you in line first and some crush he hasn’t told me about,” Patton said giving Remus a soft smile that felt like a warm blanket being wrapped around your shoulders.

Patton was pretty Remus couldn’t even deny that. It had been a very specific kind of nice to wake up with Patton in his arms even if the hour after that had been so awkward. It felt nice to hold them and they always smelled like vanilla.

“Do you wanna make out?” The words fell out of Remus mouth without a thought.

“What?” Patton said, surprised.

“Make out. Your cute and… well, kissing feels good.”

“But I thought we both like Jay…”

“Well yeah, but it doesn’t have to be a dating thing. You can just kiss people,” Remus said with a shrug, “But hey if you’re not into it that’s cool.”

“Now hold- hold on I didn’t say I wasn’t into it,” Patton said quickly, “It’s just… I haven’t… haven’t done that before.”

“I could show you,” Remus offered, “I’m fairly experienced.” 

Nah actually he was a whole entire slut but he wasn’t going to say that to Patton.

“O-okay,” Patton stuttered.

So Remus brought up a hand to rest on their cheek and leaned in. He heard knocking at the door but ignored it.

Then his and Patton’s lips softly connected. He kept the pressure there just a moment then pulled back slightly to speak.

“Was that okay?” He asked gently.

“Can we do that again?” Patton asked. Remus grinned and leaned in, pressing a slightly longer kiss to Patton’s mouth. He was dimly aware that Janus was saying something on the other side of the door. Patton’s hand came up to rest on his neck on the same spot that Janus had bitten which was now healed over.

He slid his hand back to lace in their hair and they made the softest little sighing sound.

Remus started pressing forward, he ran his tongue along the seam of Patton’s lips and Patton sighed into the kiss. Soon Patton was laid back against the bed, their hands exploring over Remus’s chest, Remus was on top of them reveling in the taste of them, the feeling of their lips on his. Patton was occasionally letting out little gasps and Remu-

“Oh…” The noise came from inside the room. Remus didn’t even remember hearing the door open but he pulled away and looked up. 

“Janus!” Patton said gathering their wits first and moving to sit up. They smoothed down their hair that Remus had spent all that effort making look debauched. Their cheeks were flush adorably and Remus got a sinking feeling. Usually, when He found someone cute once he did something physical with them he got over it. Patton was still very cute…

“Sorry, you guys just weren’t responding so I…”

“Came in anyway?” Remus finished, finally meeting Janus’s eyes.

“Yeah,” Janus agreed, “I didn’t mean to interrupt… well, I didn’t know you two… I didn’t know.”

“Calm thy snitties we aren’t together, just kissing,” Remus said hauling himself out of bed and distancing himself from both of them.

“Snitties?” Patton repeated.

“Snake titties,” Remus explained.

“Remus and I have a running joke that I’m a snake since vampires are sort of cold-blooded and I have fangs and venom,” Janus explained, his eyes didn’t leave Remus. 

Remus wondered if that look on his face was betrayal or something else.

“Oh…” Patton said and trailed off into the awkward silence of the room, “Did I do something wrong? You both seem… tense.”

“You didn’t do anything,” Remus said, finally breaking the staring contest that had been going on between him and Janus to glare at his own feet.

“Do you guys still wanna go out?” Janus asked, his voice too calm.

“Yeah gimme fifteen minutes to shower and get dressed,” Remus said grabbing the towel that had been draped over the corner of his dresser and heading to the bathroom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow look at this we have three whole idiots who don't know how to deal with feelings  
> and Virgil, Virgil is slightly better at feelings


	7. I've Been Doing Just Fine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [Mr. Brightside by The Killers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o1gLGjPFkRA)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warnings: transphobia, misogyny, past emotional abuse, nonbinary character discussing the possibility of becoming pregnant, jealousy
> 
> there might be more please let me know if there's anything you need to be tagged for in the beginning notes in the future

"Alright cupcake what's with the face? You’ve been really quiet today," Virgil said as the two of them took their “lunch break” despite the fact that neither of them was eating today. 

“Thanks for the concern but I’m not sure that it's something I should talk about with my boss,” Patton smiled ruefully.

“Well, how bout with a friend?” Virgil said tentatively. He wasn’t sure what it was about Patton but he wanted to know all about their life and genuinely be their friend even though they hadn’t known each other long. They just seemed to have… this gentleness to them that Virgil really liked.

“It involves kissing, do you still wanna hear?” Patton said with a warning tone to their voice.

“Well now I’m really interested,” Virgil smirked.

“I had my first kiss last night,” Patton smiled nervously.

“Oh? I woulda thought someone like you would have before now,” Virgil said casually before freezing and realizing what he said, “No no wait! That sounded like I was calling you like promiscuous or something, that’s not what I meant!”

Patton titled their head curiously, “What did you mean?”

“Just that… you nice and cute and-” Patton was looking at him with a small mischievous smile, Virgil started fumbling over his words, “I mean some people might think your attractive! Not that you aren’t! You’re very… Oh come on are you just gonna let me drown like this?” Virgil finished miserably/

Patton giggled, “Well thank you... I think. But no I hadn’t yet. When I stopped looking like an awkward preteen I came out as nonbinary and never really socially recovered…”

“Shit that sucks, down here the whole gender binary thing is a lot less… pervasive so that won’t be a problem.”

“Yeah! It’s actually been really nice that nobody has really acted weird when I corrected them on my pronouns so far!”

“Yeah, its really nice,” Virgil agreed, “But wait generally kissing is a good thing, isn’t it? Why have you been acting sad?” Not that Virgil was super experienced in that area he had only kissed twice in his life. The first time was with Cassie Jackson at his first and only school dance back in middle school that hadn’t been fun because it turned out not only was he gay but she was a lesbian. And the second time he had been kissed had been the night that he discovered ghosts could get drunk. He and Logan had never brought it up again after that night.

“The problem is just who it was with…” Patton smiled ruefully, “I probably shouldn’t have kissed them.”

Virgil nodded sagely, “Ah yes, it was Emile, wasn’t it? Now you have the fiancees on your tail?”

“What? No!” Patton laughed, “It was just I kissed this guy that has a crush on my best friend who I also have a crush on, and then our shared crush walked in on me pinned to his best friend’s bed with his best friend over me shirtless…”

Virgil let out a low whistle, “Yeah, fair enough. That’s a rock and a hard place. Also, first kiss and you got the guy shirtless? I am impressed.”

“Oh goodness no! He was just working out when I came in,” Patton sounded downright scandalized at the implication.

“Sorry for offending,” Virgil laughed holding up his hands in surrender, “So what are you gonna do about it?”

“I don’t know! I live with my crush…”

“Whoa whoa whoa It’s that Janus guy who picks you up? That’s who this went down with?”

Patton nodded miserably, “And the best friend is the one who talked about Metallica with you.”

“Damn, well…” Virgil had an idea that would help, “Well you could always stay late after work if you wanna avoid too much extra awkward time home alone with him.”

“What?”

Virgil didn’t even know what he was doing. Logan and he tried to keep his late-night visits quiet the last thing they needed was rumors of them dating getting out. But... he kinda trusted Patton? They probably wouldn’t out them. And he knew Logan liked them. 

“Well, I uh- actually stay here pretty late most nights just hanging out after everything’s closed so you can stick around too if you want? I could even walk you home after if you don’t wanna go all the way up to the surface alone or-” Virgil felt his barely-there form get enveloped in a hug. 

“Oh thank you! That’s so nice!”

Patton pulled back, noticing the way Virgil stiffened, “Oh I’m sorry! That wasn’t okay I should have asked…”

“No hey thats alright. I didn’t mind it really…”

***

Logan walked into the library at his usual time, precisely thirty minutes after closing time to assure that no patrons were still inside. 

Then he heard voices. 

One was Virgil’s he recognized it easily after all this time, the other was vaguely familiar but still _was not_ supposed to be here. This was Logan and Virgil’s time.

He marched back toward the corner of the nonfiction section that he and Virgil often sat in during the evenings. Sitting there on the table, back turned to Logan, was Patton Hart who seemed to be talking to empty air.

Virgil appeared and his face lit up when he noticed Logan, “Hey, Lo. Sorry I know you weren’t expecting them here but they kinda needed a way out of the house for a few hours, personal troubles.”

Patton turned around and they smiled as they saw Logan standing there, “Oh hello Mr. Mayor! Sorry I didn’t realize you would be here.”

“I am here every evening. Virgil and I are… friends,” Logan said. 

It was true Logan just wished it wasn’t. They were close, closer than Logan was with anyone else but he often found himself desiring a level of officiality that their relationship lacked. He would even be open to a queerplatonic relationship if that was preferable for Virgil but so far his advances and hints had gone ignored. They were friends and only friends

Virgil flickered slightly where he sat, "Yeah."

Patton smiled, "That’s cool! Welp, I’ll leave you to it, I don’t want to intrude on private time."

"Well you do not have to leave, " Logan objected, surprising even himself. 

Why did words always come out of his mouth without his consent around Patton? How was he to function like this?

"Are you sure?" Patton asked.

Logan breathed out slowly and chose his next words more carefully, "Yes, quite frankly I had hoped we might run into one another again, I rather enjoyed your company the other day and would not mind repeating the experience."

Patton grinned, "I'd like to be friends with you too, Mr. Mayor." Logan froze. Patton’s eyes were captivating, always seeming moments away from crinkling with laughter, and Patton was looking at him.

Logan tightened his tie, unused to the attention, "Please, call me Logan."

***

Eventually, it was time for all of them to go home, Logan had an early morning tomorrow because he was going to be doing a grand opening for a new park and the plan was to do it before all the children had to be at school.

Patton had texted Janus a few hours ago telling him that they wouldn't be home till late but they said they should really get going before it got super late so they wouldn’t wake him when they came home. Patton went to go collect their stuff from behind the front desk leaving Logan and Virgil alone.

“Hey,” Virgil said catching Logan’s attention, “Is this okay? Because you say the word and they never stay late again. I know I did this without warning but something about them just-”

“Virgil, we can have a third person around. I don’t mind.”

“What if I mind a little?” Virgil sighed.

“What causes you to dislike their presence?” Logan asked.

“Nothing,” Virgil said honestly, “I really like them being here with us. I’m just worried that…” God Virgil felt stupid. Fucking abandonment issues. 

Then a hand touched his, light enough that it didn’t go slipping through his form, “Virgil I do not like them better than you. I never will. The absolute most that could occur, is me liking them as much as I like you but… that will likely be some time it is a very high standard to meet. Regardless their presence does not make yours any less necessary in my life.”

Virgil turned over his hand so they were palm to palm, “Yeah?”

“Of course. I love you, Virgil,” Logan said matter-of-factly, “Patton’s presence will not change that.”

God Virgil wished he meant that the way Virgil felt that but even so the words were comforting.

Virgil felt himself flicker slightly, “Okay, cool, then we’re making a new friend.”

“Indeed.” 

And with that Logan pulled away gently and the moment broke.

The two of them made their way to the front desk and Patton was standing there with their messenger bag slung over their shoulder. 

“Have a good evening Patton,” Logan said inclining his head. 

“You too!” They said cheerfully.

He gave Virgil one last reassuring look and left.

Virgil felt a small smile make its way onto his face, “Alright, cupcake let’s get you home.”

Virgil pointed to the light switch and Patton turned them off and gestured for Patton to grab the keys.

Patton locked up and the two of them started making their way through the eternally twilit streets.

“Hey, can we play a round of that game where we ask each other invasive questions and then the other gets to ask something back to make it fair?” Patton asked.

Virgil laughed, “Is it a whole game now?”

“Yep, because if it’s a game it makes us both seem less nosey,” Patton giggled.

Virgil couldn’t argue with that logic, “Yeah okay fair enough, we can play.”

“How long have you and Logan been together?” Patton asked.

Virgil deflated, “We aren’t.” God Patton had really managed to stab right to the heart of one of Virgil’s sore spots with just one question, hadn’t they?

“Really?” Patton’s eyebrows flew upward, “Oh gosh, I’m sorry it’s just the way you looked at each other.”

Virgil frowned, “How did we look at each other?”

“Well gosh you both might as well have had heart eyes and you kept having entire conversations by just exchanging looks… I thought you guys were in a QPR or something because you both keep saying that you’re best friends.”

“Oh uh Nah, its nothing like that, we’re just... bros,” Virgil finished lamely. He remembered the feeling of Logan’s hand pressed to his own.

Patton nodded, “Can I ask one more thing, and then you can have your turn?”

“Sure.”

“How long have you had that big ol’ crush on Logan?”

Virgil groaned. Was he that obvious?

“Twenty-eight years,” he mumbled knowing just how pathetic that was.

“Oh my goodness gracious!” Patton exclaimed, clearly shocked.

“I know,” He groaned. He had loved Logan longer than he had been alive for fucks sake!

"Do you think you'll ever tell him?" Patton asked.

They had this hopeful look made Virgil feel like maybe he had a chance. He had never even considered telling Logan but maybe...

"Yeah... soon I think, " Virgil said, slowly, "Now my turn. I get three questions right?"

Patton laughed, "Yeah go ahead."

"Hmmm… if it’s not too personal to ask about, why don’t you talk about your parents?"

Patton’s smile fell, "Oh… Is it noticeable?"

Virgil winced, "I mean… yeah…? It's just… most people who move down here without family talk about missing parents and I mean you said you only moved in with Janus once you were turned. So I was just wondering why you hadn’t mentioned them."

Virgil was guessing Patton was an orphan.

"The answer makes me sound like a bad person, " Patton mumbled.

"Well, you… you don’t have to tell me but I hope you know there’s very little that I would be judgemental about. And… well, honestly I’d just like to know.”

"I suppose I’ll have to _cave_ eventually and tell you, " Patton said with a weak smile as they entered the tunnel that led to the surface.

Virgil let the pun slide without comment.

"But really it's because a nonbinary kid isn’t really what my parents wanted or expected. Its best for them if everyone thinks I'm dead. So I’m letting them think that. I know its probably hurting them but I was hurting them more when I was around."

Virgil paused in horror, "Patton, that doesn’t make you sound bad it makes them sound _awful_."

"No no, it's not their fault! They tried to be accepting really! It’s kinda my fault really. It would have been easier on them if I was actually a girl or even if I could have just said I was a guy."

"What do you mean?" Virgil asked gently.

"They have very old fashioned Ideals of how a man or woman should act. A man would be expected to learn to take care of financial affairs, marry a woman, take care of the family. A woman would stay home, take care of the kids, marry a man. You could pick which you wanted to be, no judgment, but you had to pick just one."

"Damn," Virgil said.

"Yeah and the thing is the whole life plan that went with the woman thing always sounded great to me. Husband, having kids, heck actually I’ve always wanted to carry my babies! It was just the whole… girl part."

Virgil froze, not walking, not speaking. Did Patton know? Was it Virgil's place to tell them?

He shook his head and caught up to them before they noticed. 

"I’m sorry," Virgil said.

"It’s okay. I’ve been growing apart from them since I came out. They didn’t like having to explain to all their high society friends that their daughter was insisting on cutting her hair and changing her name even though she wasn't a boy."

"And then you almost died," Virgil offered softly. He wasn’t going to broach the topic of how. He wasn’t willing to explain how he died so he definitely wasn’t going to ask them.

"Yeah and… well, Jay is taking care of me financially for the most part right now and its a really big adjustment but it's getting better. I’m even making some new friends," Patton added, casting a look at him.

"I'm glad," Virgil said laying a hand across the stone door and letting it melt away.

They continued talking the rest of the way to Patton’s house.

***

Janus heard the front door unlock and open and he stood up to greet Patton by the door. He stopped as he saw that damned librarian standing behind them in the foyer.

"Oh hello," Janus said trying to push a mixture of politeness and disdain into his tone.

"Hey," he said raising a hand in greeting.

"Thanks for walking me home, Virgil," Patton said brushing a hand against his arm in a way that seemed affectionate.

Virgil laughed softly, "Anytime cupcake."

"You sure you'll be okay walking home?" Patton asked.

"Yeah, what is anyone gonna do? Kill me again?" 

Patton laughed at his joke, "Well then I guess you'll be okay as you _gho-st_ right home. I should go shower, g' night."

And with that Patton made their up the stairs leaving Janus with _Virgil_. 

Virgil smiled until the bathroom door closed upstairs.

Then his smile fell and he turned to Janus.

“You haven’t told them some pretty vital information,” He said leveling Janus with a serious look.

“Excuse me?” Janus said, drawing himself up to stand up straight.

“About vampire biology. You should have sat them down and gone over everything by now. To leave it this long is… irresponsible.”

“I beg your pardon, I _must_ have misheard you. You certainly didn’t say such things to me in my own house, ghost,” Janus hissed.

Virgil rolled his eyes, “Look man I wouldn’t say anything if it weren’t for them but have you told them that vampires are infertile?”

Janus’s eyebrows drew together, “I didn’t think it’d matter.”

“Think again, they were just telling me that they’ve always wanted to carry any kids they had, like pregnancy ya know. And they want kids, man. It was one of the major points about their dreams for the future. Husband, kids, become house spouse,” Virgil rattled off the points quickly, lifting a finger for each one.

“Plans for the future? They have plans?” Janus said unable to contain the smile that slipped onto his face. They had _plans beyond this year_.

Virgil’s face scrunched in confusion, “Yeah man, doesn’t everybody? And really they got it all mapped out, you better tell them they should be considering adoptions before they get married and find out the hard way.”

“Hold on a moment how did this come up? And how did you end up walking them home so late at night? Their shift ended hours ago. The pet name? What’s going on here?”

Virgil rolled his eyes, “And you were making fun of Emile’s partners for being territorial. We’re friends man, relax. Tone back the jealously. It was just a few friends hanging out after work. I figured that it might be a little risky for a living person to go walking through the woods alone at night so I walked them home, we got to talking.”

“You don’t know them,” Janus sneered. 

As soon as the words came from his mouth he realized how much of an idiot he sounded like. He wished he could stop himself from acting like this. But… Virgil was attractive. Anyone with eyes could see it. He was dark and intense and clearly intelligent. Janus was well aware that Patton probably already liked Virgil and that hurt. Janus knew he wasn’t exactly a catch but he had been flirting with Patton for damn near four months now and Patton hadn’t even glanced his way.

Virgil simply gave an unimpressed stare at Janus’s very weak attempt at getting him to back off, “Obviously. I’ve only been friends with them for like two weeks dude. Not that impressive that you know them better than I do. My point is that you gotta slow down and teach them what they need to know about being a vampire or I will. Cuz they’re amazing and if you aren’t careful you’ll lose them. Have a good night man.”

Virgil turned and float-walked away, the shadows bending around him till he disappeared entirely.

Fucking. Hell. First Remus, now the librarian, what’s next? He wondered sarcastically. Would the mayor fall for them too? God Janus didn’t have a chance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Jeeeeealousy and virgil is just not having any of it  
> also, how bout that sweet, sweet, _totally not dating_ analogical


	8. Lay Here for Years or For Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [In A Week by Hozier](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDZnKWdvTUo)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this was so late lmao its technically Saturday here  
> whoops
> 
> warnings: kinda suicidal thoughts. discussion of religion,

There was good news and bad news, Remus discovered, as Patton walked into the shop two days after the kiss.

The good news was he quite suddenly discovered something new about himself. He was _definitely_ polyamorous.

The bad news was he was a fucking idiot who caught feelings. That shit must be contagious or something. Anyone who has ever experienced romantic attraction should be legally required to wear a mask.

Patton walked in with a smile and a bouquet of flowers in their hand. And goddamn they looked beautiful. They had Janus’s cloak wrapped around them, likely for protection against the sun as they walked here. Seeing Patton there, wearing Janus’s clothes made Remus’s head go on a route of disgusting domestic fantasies that he had never even considered before.

Watching horror movies with Patton and Janus. Spending every night the same way they had spent that first night.

Gross. 

“Hi, Remus!” Patton greeted him cheerfully, “Is Roman here?”

Remus nodded mutely and pointed as Roman exited the back room.

“Ah, Patton! Did you bring me flowers? Because I’m sorry to say so but I’m taken,” Roman said strolling out to lean on the counter with a smirk.

There was a brief moment when Remus considered killing xem for flirting with Patton but that might be an overreaction. In fairness, though Remus considered killing xem for eating his cereal so this wasn’t really new.

“Not to worry, I won’t be stealing you away from them. Consider these friendly flowers,” Patton said passing over the bouquet.

Roman sighed dramatically, “Just as well really, you let my brother kiss you and I doubt you’ve been tested for rabies since then.”

Remus made a disgruntled face, unable to actually talk.

Roman grinned at him, “Anyway Patton, what are these beautiful blooms for?”

“Your wedding! Er- well, sorta! I was walking into town and the shop wasn’t open yet so I wandered a bit and I saw this lovely Lady who had a whole field of flowers in her backyard! So I walked over to tell her how pretty they are and she told me to go pick a bouquet if I wanted! So I did and I made it for you guys with your favorite flowers because you guys have been so nice and I wanna say thank you! And she put a spell on them to not wilt! And I told her that this was a great idea and she could start a business from that. Un-wilt-able flowers. And she had never had that idea before and she was so grateful for the idea that she said that I could come to get flowers whenever I want. But I asked her if my friends could do that instead because they're getting married and they’ve been trying to find a place that they can get red roses, pink tulips, and white lilies all in one place. And she said she would be happy to provide flowers for your wedding!”

Roman blinked a few times, “How- how did you- Wait where’d you hear about our favorite flowers?!”

“Emile told me!” Patton said with a grin, but then their face fell slightly, “But the problem is the no-wilting charm wears off in six months. Which means if you want this mix of flowers you’re gonna have to get married sooner than you planned.”

“It’s a sign,” Xe proclaimed loudly, “Remy, call Emile! Tell him we’ll be married this January!”

Remy poked his head, “Wow that’s practically eloping for you, it's already September seventeenth, Ro. Are four months enough?”

“It will be if I have help,” Roman turned to Patton, “How about it? Do you wanna help me throw together an entire wedding in four months?”

Patton grinned, “That sounds like fun!”

“Great! Come over tonight, we’ll talk all about it,” Roman said boisterously, “This will be the best wedding ever. Mainly because It involves three of the most handsome creatures in all the land.”

“Babe we talked about this,” Remy called, “You can’t say sappy shit like that when its Emmy’s day off, I gay panic and don’t know what to say!”

“I’m sorry my love,” xe laughed.

“I’d love to come over, I do have work though and won’t necessarily make it until eight thirty ish. Is that okay or do you wanna reschedule?”

“That's perfect, we don’t even close the shop til eight anyway,” Roman assured them.

“Great then one last thing before I head to work. Could I get two blueberry muffins for some friends of mine and some blood for me?” Patton pulled out their coin purse that jingled with the money that had earned recently.

Remy gave them their food and took their money and Patton turned around and saw Remus still standing there, frozen in place.

“Remus? Are you alright?” Patton asked, seeming concerned.

“Do you know how sweet you are?” Remus demanded, his voice returning to him quite suddenly.

“I- what?” Patton asked.

“Being around you is like deepthroating a sugar cane stalk!”

“Um… Thanks?” Patton said with a laugh, “You’re pretty sweet yourself Remus. Just a little punchier. Like…. like salted caramel.”

“I am?” Remus could feel himself making a mushy face but he couldn’t stop.

“Yeah you can be when you cara-mellow out a little bit,” Patton smiled at him and Remus wondered if this is what a stroke felt like, “Have a good day, Ree. Bye Roman, bye Remy!”

Patton left with the muffins and blood and Remus’s last functioning brain cell. 

How was he supposed to live like this?

***

The following few weeks were much of the same. Patton would wake up in the morning with Janus. Wish him luck at school.

Janus would complain about how it was less tolerable since Patton left but he would go anyway.

Patton would make their way underground before the sun fully rose. Most days they would stand at the mouth of the cave watching the sky lighten until the sun just barely peaked above the horizon.

Patton missed the sun.

Then they would make their way into town, stopping by the shop. They would make plans for when next to meet Roman and they’d buy food for Virgil and Logan because Patton knew Logan couldn’t possibly be eating enough and Virgil liked the muffins.

Remus had been quieter lately but maybe… maybe that was normal for him? Patton really had no frame of reference for these things. They hadn’t known Remus long.

Then they would make their way to the library and do whatever Virgil asked all day. Shelve books, read to kids, help people check out, sweep, whatever he needed help with. There was more to do on Virgil’s less solid days.

Then after work, Patton either went to the pack’s house or stayed at the library with Virgil and Logan until late into the night.

Virgil still hadn’t told logan about his crush but that was okay. Patton supported him anyway.

Plus it was plenty of fun hanging out just the three of them and Patton had a feeling that once those two started dating they would be wanting a lot more alone time.

The weekends were spent with Janus and the pack. Patton would try to help Roman with the wedding plans while Janus and Remus playfully mocked and bickered. Emile and Remy would turn on cartoons or music one in the background and they would all sit gather around the kitchen table or on the couch working and hanging out for hours.

Janus and Patton usually ended up staying over Saturday night, switching off who took the couch and who took the guest room. 

There was a rhythm and it was nice.

Until one day there wasn’t.

It was a Tuesday, about a week before Halloween.

They woke up to the sound of their alarm and rather than getting out of bed they turned it off.

They went back to sleep. Or tried. Vampire bodies didn’t exactly let you roll over and sleep as much as you might want like human ones did and Patton had been sleeping less and less as their body adjusted to the change.

Apparently vampire bodies didn’t let you do a lot of things you might want to do. Go out in the sunshine, eat muffins, sleep in, have kids.

Janus had told them about that last part nearly two weeks ago but this was the first time it was sinking in. 

What was the point of all this? Patton’s whole dream was basically impossible. They had started feeling a little hopeful like maybe, maybe their life would turn out well now that they weren’t with their parents but Patton didn’t know what they would do once this year was over.

They wanted a husband, kids, a garden. When would they garden? They couldn’t go out in the sunlight and they didn’t have magic like all those fairies downstairs. They couldn’t just enchant plants to do what they wanted. And as far as the husband part went where would they find a guy who would want that life and not see them as a girl?

Not to mention the fact that they had pretty much killed their chances with Janus. Huys didn’t like it when you kissed their best friend that they were secretly in love with. Patton had a feeling that Remus was who Janus had a crush on. They wanted to get them together, play matchmaker but the idea made their chest ache.

The idea of Remus moving in with them and Patton being slowly edged out of the house and Janus’s life because that’s what people did when they had serious relationships, they cut off people who might cause problems. And having kissed one and fallen for the other? That was a problem.

All these friends they had made and it was pointless because they would get sick of patton soon and-

“Patton?” Janus’s voice came from the door and that was the last thing Patton needed to crack.

They burst into tears, sobs wracking their whole body.

“Whoa whoa, what happened?” Janus asked coming forward and sitting on the bed next to Patton, they were laying on their side and their back was to him.

“Noth-nothing, I’m sorry I- nothing,” Patton gasped out.

“That attempt at a lie was feeble. If you wanna convince me, you might wanna try no crying and hyperventilating,” Janus said gently, rubbing a hand up and down his back.

“I’m- I’m sorry for kissing him please don’t kick me out when you guys get married,” The words just spilled out of their mouth before they could stop them.

This was so stupid and manipulative of them. This was selfish. They shouldn’t let Janus see them crying. Selfish, awful, bad. They tried to force down the sobs. 

“Patton, I’m not getting married to anyone. What are you talking about?” Janus said with a laugh.

“You’re gonna- you’re gonna marry Remus and then you’ll wanna kick me out,” They gasped between sobs.

“I- well first of all Remus and I aren’t even dating so I don’t know what gave you the idea he would ever want to marry me.”

Patton didn’t miss how Janus’s explanation for why it wouldn’t happen depended entirely on Remus. 

“Second of all even if we did somehow get married I wouldn’t kick you out, that’s not how this works. Your presence here is completely independent of mine and Remus’s theoretical relationship.”

Patton just shook their head silently.

Patton could practically hear the eye roll in Janus’s voice as he said, “Oh yes of course your right I’m going to throw you out on your ears the moment I get married because the only reason I keep you around is to alleviate my own boredom.”

At that Jay pulled Patton to a sitting up position and into his arms.

“Let me make something clear,” He said lowly, “The only way you’re getting away from me is if you want to leave. Okay?”

Patton felt grounded and safe with Janus’s arms wrapped around them. Janus wasn’t lying, they could feel it. They nodded.

Patton called into work that day and Janus told the school he was sick. They didn’t leave Patton’s bed until noon and even after that nothing productive got done that day.

***

One night Virgil suddenly said, “Hey Logan there’s this game that Patton and I play to get to know each other better. Wanna play a round?”

Patton winced. They had told Virgil how curious they were about demons earlier that day and Virgil had said he “had a plan”. Patton wasn’t sure they liked where this was going.

“Certainly, that sound beneficial,” Logan agreed easily, “How is it played?”

“Well first one person asks another an invasive and/or personal question. Then they answer and ask their own question back.”

“Very well, who will go first?”

“Cupcake, you go,” Virgil said with a grin.

“Uhm right, okay. Logan?”

“Yes?” 

“If this is offensive I’m sorry but I was raised Christian and I was just wondering if demons were… well I know they’re not evil because your really sweet but I just wanted to know if-”

“If we punish sinners?” Logan finished dryly.

Patton winced but nodded hesitantly.

“Patton it is perfectly alright to be curious so long as you are approaching it with the intent to learn. I would never begrudge you an opportunity to do so,” Logan said gently, “I will explain to the best of my ability. Demons do not punish sinners or rule over the damned in hell. Hell is full of the souls of the dead yes but we do nothing but make it as pleasant a place to spend eternity as possible. If someone is of a faith that causes them to have a specific afterlife they expect to see as far as we can tell that is what they experience. I am yet to have seen any souls of people who believe in reincarnation so I can only assume they are actually reincarnated. Souls are all that exist in hell so when I came to the surface I simply designed a human form to inhabit and transferred my soul to the vessel.”

Well, that raised a whole mess of religious questions Patton had to ask himself later but was not the time for that.

“Oh… Cool!” Patton said brightly, “Okay your turn.”

Logan tilted his head and looked at patton curiously, “I apologize if this is… dark but do you ever miss mortality? I’ve never experienced it and I find myself curious.”

Patton blinked, they somehow hadn’t expected Logan to ask something so… real. Although they supposed he probably already knew everything he wanted to about vampires.

Patton chewed the inside of their cheek, “The answer is sort of complicated.”

“I miss the idea of dying peacefully,” Patton said their voice going soft, “But this vampire stuff sort of rules out drifting off in your sleep. I guess it makes death kinda scary now. Mortality made death feel natural but now its a sign that something went terribly wrong. I kinda miss that part of it.”

Patton missed everything about it except their parents’ disappointed looks.

Logan nodded, "Interesting."

There was a long moment of silence between the three immortals.

"Kay cupcake, your turn again. I know you got more questions." 

"Right uh… You said you designed your form to be human. Why not human eyes?"

Logan winced slightly, "I did try but I could never perfect a human eye to my liking. I decided that if I couldn't do it perfectly I simply would not do it. I've always thought the eyes were the most important part of a face I would not risk doing them incorrectly."

"I think your eyes are beautiful. Perfect for you, " Patton told him.

"You…. thank you Patton. That means a lot to me, " Logan looked at them for a long moment and cleared his throat, "what's your favorite animal?"

Thankfully he steered toward something lighter. Patton didn’t know what these emotions they were feeling were but it was too much.

"Cats! They’re so adorable and they look so soft. Unfortunately, I’m allergic but they're just wonderful!"

Logan nodded coolly, "Yes, a suppose they are."

"Logan you own a cat hoodie, you can't act like you don't care about cats, " Virgil said with a laugh.

Logan frowned and crossed his arms, "That's it next time you call me in the middle of the night with an emergency I will be getting dressed before leaving. I will not take any more mocking for my choice in pajamas."

"Hey, now I didn't mock the unicorn onesie!" Virgil complained, "Don’t stop coming over in your pajamas, Lo. it's adorable, I'm sorry."

"You have a unicorn onesie?!" Patton gasped.

"Virgil why do you punish me like this. What have I done to deserve you divulging my secrets?" Logan groaned.

“Well, it could be because I called you over last week to get rid of a bat in my house and after you did you insisted you wanted to hang out so and asked me to make coffee but you fell asleep on my kitchen table before I had even started it.”

“I already apologized!” Logan said as if they had this conversation many times before, “I keep forgetting how badly this human shape needs sleep until I am deprived of it.”

“Mmm-hmm or you weren’t actually asleep and just wanted me to carry you to bed so you didn’t have to go all the way home.”

“You are intolerable! You are single-handedly responsible for the destruction of my reputation,” Logan complained but even as he did his face betrayed the affection he felt for Virgil.

***

“All I’m saying is that Dante’s Inferno is a classic regardless of it’s accuracy to what hell is like,” Virgil said with a laugh.

“And I am saying that we shouldn’t teach it in our schools!” Logan shot back, “Its full of falsehoods and miscommunication and you only like it because you’re named after one of the characters.”

“You are? There’s a character named Virgil in Dante’s Inferno?” Patton asked.

They both looked at them.

“Have you not read it?” Logan asked feeling shocked that the public school system could make such an error.

“Nope!” Patton said with a shrug.

“That’s it we’re reading it. Virgil help me find the copy I annotated.”

“You’re going to read the whole Inferno aloud?” Virgil asked walking out of the aisle.

“Of course I am, it’s a classic!” Logan said following. Patton giggled and walked after them.

Soon Virgil found the aisle and book he was looking for and pulled out a rather beaten-up copy of Dante’s inferno. He passed it to Logan who flipped through the pages quickly and nodded.

“This will take us approximately two nights for me to read aloud the whole way through. Is that acceptable?”

Patton smiled and nodded, “Yeah that sounds nice. You’ve got a good voice.”

“Oh…” Logan blinked at them a few times, “Um thank you. Very well, we shall do the first half tonight and the second half tomorrow night.” 

Patton thought he had a good voice??

So they found a comfortable corner of the library to sit in, Patton and Virgil sharing the small overstuffed couch and Logan sat across from them in the armchair and began reading, “Midway upon the journey of our life I found myself within a dark forest, for the straight forward pathway had been lost…”

Logan watched out of the corner of his eye as Virgil slowly scooted closer and soon his arm was against Patton’s. Patton gently laid his head on Virgil’s shoulder. 

Logan spared a glance up as saw the tense fear on both of their faces as if worried that the other might pull back at any second. Logan something warm and comfortable at the image of the two of them together. And they sat like that for over an hour. Logan would occasionally glance up at them with a hint of a smile on his face before he would glance down and keep reading. Eventually, Logan closed the book. Virgil was asleep, head in Patton’s lap and Patton was carding fingers through his hair.

Logan kneeled beside the couch and gently took Virgil’s hand and rubbing gentle circles across the back of it.

“Vee, wake up for me?” Logan said softly, “It’s time for bed.”

“That’s okay,” Virgil mumbled not opening his eyes, “Just come to bed. you didn’t have to wake me.”

Logan couldn’t restrain the smile that made its way onto his face, “As tempting as that is I’m afraid this isn’t your bed.”

“Huh?”

“Virge, sweetie you’re on my leg,” Patton said gently, carding their fingers through his hair again.

Virgil’s face scrunch in confusion, “‘Sweetie’? Leg? I don-” Virgil seemed to finally wake up enough to process the words and bolted upright in a panic and nearly tumbled off the couch but Logan caught him.

“Good evening,” Logan commented, still smiling. Virgil was cradled in his arms looking up at him with a pout.

Virgil’s face was flickering violently, “Good evening, you ass. What? You just let me fall asleep on them like that?”

“Virge I didn’t mind,” Patton said, taking Virgil’s hand that Logan wasn’t holding. Virgil’s hand automatically wrapped around Patton’s, as if on instinct.

“I attempted to let you get some much-needed rest and now I’m an ‘ass’?” Logan asked dryly, still smiling faintly at the man in his arms.

“Stopping looking at me like that,” Virgil whined, “You know I can’t stay mad at you when you’ve got that face on!”

“I think its time I got you home, Patton I will also walk you home if you like although I won’t be able to walk you to the door, I prefer your roommate not know who’s been at the library with you two at night.”

“Thanks, Logan,” Patton smiled at him and Logan felt his stomach twist with something pleasant.

“Anytime,” Logan said and found he actually meant it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i might have a thing for sleepy scenes


	9. With my Best Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [ Lucky by Jason Mraz](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acvIVA9-FMQ)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay sorry this was so late but this chapter ended up getting real long to the point that i had to be split into two separate chapters (both of which will be posted today!!)
> 
> Please enjoy!

When Janus next went to pick Patton up from work Virgil discreetly handed a book to him.

_Basics of Vampirism: Tips for the Young Sire_

“You seem to need this,” the sticky note inside the cover had read. Janus gritted his teeth against the rage that flared up inside him.

Virgil bid Patton goodbye with a gentle smile.

“Make sure you two leave at a reasonable hour okay?” Patton told him, “And when he gets here tell him I’m sorry but I’ll be here tomorrow evening to finish the book.”

“He’ll understand, it’s not like you have to spend every night with us,” Virgil said with a laugh as if the main portion of their life had to do with Virgil and whoever this other bastard was.

Just because Patton spent most evenings at the library and spent all day at the library from open until close didn’t mean that this was the main part of their life.

They also planned the wedding some nights! Like tonight! And Janus...

Oh, who was he kidding? He didn’t have a shot with them. They obviously were like seconds away from starting up a poly relationship with these pricks.

So now Janus was sitting here on the pack’s couch Reading a book on _vampire biology_. And learning from it. Was there anything more embarrassing?

“Wacha doin’?” Patton asked, strolling into the living room. Janus jumped.

“Uh… reading,” Janus said, dropping the book to his lap as Patton entered.

“Ooo what about?” Patton dropped onto the couch on his left and Remus who was to his right looked up from his phone.

“Oh nothing important,” Janus said trying to close the book without drawing attention.

Remus grinned and reached for the book which Janus pull away quickly. He pouted, “Janus If you’re reading porn in my living room you should at least move to one of the bedrooms. I have a good stash in mine if you need more reading material.”

“I’m not reading-!” Janus began, offended before he suddenly stopped his defense.

 _Well_ he uh-  
He kinda was reading about that topic technically.  
At the very least it was something that Janus felt himself flushing at the very idea of talking to these two about.

‘Vampire Mating Instincts’ was the chapter he was on now and god it explained a lot. Too much in fact. He didn’t need Remus reading it.

Patton managed to gently slip the book out of his hands while Janus stumbled over his words and turned to the page where the bookmark was. Janus tried to snatch it back but Patton stood up, holding it out of his reach.

“Oh…” The blushed too and thrust the book into Remus’s hands.

“Ohoho _nice_ didn't know vamps could detect pheromones like us wolves” Remus grinned, then his smile slowly slipped as he scanned the page, “Oh god Janus I didn’t know that was a big deal.”

"Neither did I, " Janus winced. That had been what he didn't want to reveal.

Apparently, due to Vampires essentially creating their families by turning friends or partners into vampires, Vampires biting people (when not for survival) is a super big deal. Like asking someone out or declaring them part of your family or even in some cases can be considered a marriage proposal. 

Which is something that Janus might have found out sooner if he had just bothered to stay with his sire after being turned all those years ago. Not for the first time, Janus regretted having run away from her. She probably could have taught him a lot he needed to know so he didn’t find out he had a crush on his other best friend _after_ asking him out!

He had in essence, marked remus as his in some way, and the part that scared him the most was that he desperately hoped it would be romantically. Which he knew was not _technically bad_. 

He knew that these days it was okay to love or even be in a relationship with more than one person as long as you talked to your partners and they were okay with it but… He still felt weird okay? Like yes, he was aware that these feelings for Remus had been building for years now but it wasn't the easiest thing in the world to admit that his feelings for Patton hadn’t ebbed at all.

"You didn't know?" Remus asked.

"I didnt, but…” It was time to do it, time to stop being a coward, “I mean I sort of had a feeling."

A small hesitant smile started tugging at Remus’s mouth, "I did too…"

He did too?! Remus had a feeling and still asked?! Did that mean he wanted something to come of this too???

"So…" Janus said awkwardly not sure how to broach the topic.

"So are we fucking or family?" Remus demanded, snapping the book shut. Ever eloquent.

Janus saw Patton’s head snapping back and forth between them like they were watching a particularly exciting tennis match.

"Neither but I might like to do the former someday. Could I tempt you into a date?"

Remus held up a finger, "Hold on before I give you that answer close your eyes and plug your ears. I'll tap you when you can stop."

Ah yes, Remus had to check with the rest of the pack for approval. This would take a few minutes. He sat there silently as everyone discussed whether this was acceptable and whether Janus was an acceptable potential mate. Eventually, the tap came and he braced for the verdict.

"Okay yeah that sounds great," Remus grinned, Janus felt the stress leave him. 

Remus continued, "I wanna kiss your face is that okay?"

Janus nodded, a little dazed from the changes that happened over the past few minutes.

Remus's hand came up to cup his jaw and he pressed an impossibly soft kiss to Janus's cheek. Remus could make all the sex jokes in the world and Janus was mostly numb to them but Remus's gentleness? That wasn't a common sight to see. It was precious and Janus had to hold in a small hum that tried to leave him at the feeling of Remus’s lips.

The moment was broken very quickly by Remus yelling, "AND THATS IT! WE ARENT EVEN TOUCHING TIL I TAKE YOU ON A DATE. WE AREN'T EVEN DATING. WE ARE DOING THIS PROPERLY." 

Remus shot up from the couch and stood on the other side of the room.

"Remus-" Janus started.

"Nope, I’ll tell you when our date is but for my sanity we need to keep ten feet apart so I don’t try anything PG-13."

“Well, I wouldn’t mind-”

“Nope! Hard limit! If this is romantic then we gotta go on a date before we do other stuff.”

“Okay,” Janus said with a smile.

Janus felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look.

"Good job Jay," Patton said with an unreadable look.

They stood and went back to the table where Roman had all xyr dress ideas laid out.

***

Remy and Emile were far more focused on the guest list and who they wanted to come because when you’ve either fed or healed six out of every ten residents of the town your list of friends becomes significantly larger than average.

Patton was looking at catering companies on their phone

“Look babes since we have everyone here we thought now would be a good time to bring it up. We want to limit the wedding party, ya know, groomsmen and stuff to just the pack. We don’t want to have to deal with a whole bunch of other people in the planning and stuff. Well me and Emmy don’t, Roman likes the extra attention.”

“It’s true,” Xe said nodding easily.

“Buuuuut Xe’s been outvoted,” Emile laughed.

“So we’ve picked who our best people are gonna be,” Roman said grandly, “Re-mutt you will be mine if you accept. It would be my honor to have my baby brother be my best man.”

“We’re the same age!” Remus complained, “But yeah you got it, fairy boi.”

“They're the same age???” Janus whispered to patton sounding confused.

Patton shrugged awkwardly. They felt weird and separate now that they were all talking about family-only stuff. 

Remy spoke next, “Janus you’ll be mine. No choice about it. And you’re ringbearer so hope you can carry a pillow without dropping it.”

Janus grinned, “Oh damn there goes my plan to burst into the church and object to your union as a declaration of my undying love for you.”

“And I get to pick out flower person,” Emile said, “Since Poison Ivy is pretty solidly busy being fictional, Patton would you be our flower person?”

Patton felt themself freeze.

Emile’s smile turned nervous as he started explaining, “Sorry I know this is probably pretty sudden but you see my parents and siblings genuinely think I was eaten by wolves so… this is the only family I’ve got…”

Patton managed to find their voice, “No no Emile I’d love to I just thought you guys said just family…”

Emile blinked, “So who’s gonna tell them?”

“These four are some of the most protective people you will ever meet,” Janus told them, “Your lucky they didn’t adopt you that first time you stayed here but by now? Sorry, Pat but you’re family.”

Patton felt their lip trembling, goodness they were crying so much lately.

“Ah fuck They’re gonna start crying again because of you sappy fucks,” Remus said scooting closer and flinging an arm over Patton’s shoulders.

“I’m sorry I just have a lot of feelings.”

“That’s okay. I’m glad that this time they’re positive ones,” Emile said gently.

***

“Alright did something happen?” Logan asked as he walked in the next evening, “the _vibe_ in here is odd.”

“While I admire the use of slang I don’t know yet. I asked earlier and they blew me off so I was waiting till you got here before I asked again. Cupcake what’s up with you today? You keep being like super happy and then I found you crying earlier?”

“It’s nothing I just…” Patton trailed off.

“You’re allowed to have feelings and we wanna hear about them. Ya know, just in case you need us to fight someone for you,” Virgil said.

“I will do it if need be,” Logan said, not a threat, a promise that worried Virgil a little because he had just been joking.

“I- I kinda had a weird night last night at the pack’s house,” Patton said with a shrug.

“Ah yes, the ones who make those muffins you bring us,” Logan smiled, clearly glad to be able to recognize the people Patton was talking about. He was so easily pleased when it came to Patton. 

Patton nodded, “Yeah, and uhm- last night they told me they consider me to be part of the pack!”

Virgil grinned, “That’s great! I was wondering when they would officially tell you that you’ve totally been adopted by them.”

“I am pleased that you have found a comfortable arrangement with them,” Logan said, his voice betraying warmth that his words didn’t.

“Yeah!” Patton said with a smile but it soon slid off their face, “Only one problem though…”

“What’s that?”

“I am being crushed by the weight of crushes,” Patton groaned dropping their head on the table.

Virgil gestured for Logan to pet Patton’s head since Virgil didn’t have the body to do it today.

“I am confused,” Logan said as he hesitantly ran a hand over Patton’s hair. Patton let out a soft hum that showed that the contact was welcome.

“I thought that I had a crush on my friend Janus but then last night he and my friend Remus confessed that they like each other and I wasn’t even like upset at all. So maybe I don’t have a crush on him? But I definitely have two other crushes and that is not making it easy to sort out my feelings. There are too many really cute wonderful boys and I’m just a puddle of gay panic who can’t tell any of them how I feel.”

“Oh gods mood,” Virgil said, thinking of not only Logan but the way Patton had been consuming his thoughts lately.

“Ah yes, big same,” Logan said stiffly and normally Virgil would joke about how awkward the words sounded coming from him but Virgil was stuck on the meaning.

“You have a crush on someone?” Virgil asked suddenly gripped with panic.

Logan dropped his hand from Patton’s hair, “Yes, I have for quite some time but I feel as if I might be contracting a second one on someone else.”

Patton laughed at that and lifted their head to look at Logan, “It’s not a disease Logan!”

Logan looked at Patton seriously, “I am becoming more and more certain that it is.”

That’s when it hit Virgil. Oh. Logan had a crush on Patton. Virgil caught Logan’s eye and quickly flicked his eyes toward Patton and back to Logan with an eyebrow raise. Logan gave the most minute nod. Virgil felt his building anxiety subside. 

It was Patton. 

That was okay. Logan had already assured Virgil that Patton wouldn’t come between them and Virgil believed that. Yeah maybe that meant they would never be together but it also meant Virgil wouldn’t lose him.

Logan cleared his throat, “Anyway, I come bearing gifts, Virgil I had brought you a grape slushy and the promise that I will have a signed copy of the book of you choice within the week.”

“Oh thanks, Lo. Sadly I don’t have a body so you can have the slushy,” Virgil said awkwardly.

Logan blinked, “Not a good start, very well. Patton, I brought you earrings with cats that change color with your mood.”

“Oh, my goodness thats so sweet! Thank you, Logan.”

“Virgil, what book do you want? If need be I can go to Stephen King’s house again and scare him into giving me another autograph.”

“Hmm, can you do Frankenstein?” Virgil joked. Logan occasionally did this and Virgil had long since given up trying to get Logan to stop.

“I can do any book so long as it would make you happy.”

Virgil felt himself melt a little at the words.

“Logan…” Virgil didn’t know what to say.

A hint of a smile play at Logan’s lips, “Virgil.”

A long moment passed where Virgil found himself staring. Virgil cleared his throat and tore his gaze away from Logan and looked at Patton.

“Patton… you look pale. When did you last eat?” Virgil asked changing the subject.

“Uhm… like two days ago…” Patton said looking at their shoes awkwardly.

“I think I have an extra bag in the mini-fridge. I’ll be back in a sec,” Virgil said getting off the table. He knew he had extra. He bought it specifically in case Patton ever needed food.

He shot Logan a look and mouthed, “Talk to them!”

Logan pursed his lips but said nothing as Virgil walked away.

***

“So do you have a crush on Virgil?” Patton asked once he was out of earshot.

Logan seemed surprised, “Yes but even more so I am afraid I am very much in love with him.”

“You should tell him, Logan.”

“Well, the trouble is I’m polyamorous and while I would ideally like to engage both parties I have these… _emotions_ about in a romantic relationship I doubt either one is particularly interested in me.”

Logan gave Patton a look that felt heavy. Patton shifted under his gaze. For goodness sake what were they doing?! They had a crush on Janus who liked Remus (who they had kissed!!!) and now they were falling for and demon and a ghost who had obviously been in love for years now. And All they could do was daydream about what it might be like to date Virgil and Logan.

They were both so smart and oddly sweet and slightly scary and-

“I uh- just remember I can’t pick up the blood fully but I managed to nudge it here,” Virgil gestured to the bag of blood on the floor in front of him.”

“Thanks, Vee,” Patton smiled, retrieving the bag.

“So... shall we continue the book?” Logan asked.

“Yeah but uh- maybe we can find a couch that would fit all of us tonight?” Virgil suggested nervously, “Don’t want to leave anyone out, right?”

Logan nodded sagely, “Ah yes it is important to make sure to include all parties in activities if one is hoping to forge strong friendships.”

“And that way I won’t get as chilly, Virgil is comfy but he is kinda cold to touch,” Patton agreed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there you go! big developments my dudes


	10. I Know That I Am Dead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Song: [ Tears To Shed from Corpse Bride](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mObJOxsXj74)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please don't panic at the chapter title and the song  
> virgil is just insecure i swear its mainly fluff

Halloween night tended to be a big celebration in town. Everyone would party and drink. Children tended to have slumber parties and everyone played Monster Mash on loop for twenty-four hours because someone thought it was a good idea to show the actual monster community that song.

Needless to say, this was not exactly Logan’s ‘scene’. But over the years he and Virgil had developed an alternative tradition that he had come to be quite fond of. The library tended to be closed on such a big holiday so they had all day to complete their rather complicated ritual.

Earlier today Logan had bought all of their favorite snacks and dropped them off in Virgil’s house using the spare key Virgil had given him. As he had every year for the past fifteen.

Similarly, the Virgil picked another mortal movie he wanted Logan to see. The list being so long that over the past eight or so years Halloween had simply turned into twenty-four hours of uninterrupted movie watching from midnight to past midnight.

Logan had been against it at first, not wanting to impose by staying overnight two nights in a row.

Logan probably wouldn’t have agreed if Virgil didn’t know exactly his weakness. Logan had a particular appreciation for things that were well... warm and soft. So every year for the past eight years Virgil would get Logan a Halloween present. A blanket, a pair of socks, one year he got Logan a stuffed owl and logan had needed to take a moment to recompose himself so he didn't make a very undignified noise.

Logan found a particular sort of comfort in the ritual. Logan didn't share this interest with others, it was certainly his most immature fixation, but Virgil never genuinely mocked him for it beyond what Logan now recognized as affectionate teasing. In fact, the famous unicorn onesie had been a gift from him. 

So Logan was perhaps a bit excited for Halloween which was officially starting in just a few hours. This left him rather conflicted because as much as he wanted to go to Virgil’s house on time that would mean them cutting their time with Patton shorter than usual and he was not a fan of that idea.

“Just what is it that you are planning in the evenings that demands your attention?” Logan asked patton by way of greeting that night.

“Aww don’t pout Lo,” Virgil said with an eye roll.

He was not pouting he was merely expressing dissatisfaction with the fact that due to conflicting schedules he and Patton hadn’t seen each other in a week.

“A wedding for the Picani’s!” Patton said brightly, clearly excited to discuss this, “Which reminds me, Virgil, I have your invitation here!”

“Awe delivered by hand? Thanks cupcake,” Virgil smirked.

“I was unaware that they were not already married. The Picani’s own a very successful business. While I have no personal connection to them, I do admire their business model that has caused them to become the third most popular shop in town. I shall have to send them a gift.”

“Well why don’t you just come?” Patton suggested with a smile.

Logan frowned, “Preposterous, I hardly know them.”

“Well, Virgil’s invitation says he can bring a plus one and Emile said if I want to I can as well so the double plus one cancels out the awkwardness automatically! Come with us! I’m gonna be flower person!”

“Are you sure I would be welcome? As I recall the doctor does not have the most positive opinion of me.”

“Uhm- well... you see I already warned Emile that if he gave Virgil a plus one there was a solid chance that he might bring the mayor and he almost took away Virgil’s plus one. But then he asked why Virgil would bring you and I said its cuz the three of us are friends. And I told him how my cat earrings were from you and you were actually really nice. And he said it was okay if I really thought that you weren’t scary! But don’t worry he promised not to tell anybody!” Patton rushed out very quickly.

Virgil burst into cackling laughter, “See Specs? You should just bring your gift yourself.”

“Well then… Yes, I would be happy to attend with the two of you. Patton, you should tell us when you know what you are wearing so we might avoid clashing,” Logan stumbled over his words and hoped he wasn’t showing too much excitement over what might be a date, “Speaking of gifts, I have more for you two.”

Logan had started giving them courting gifts and it seemed to be working as they had all shared a couch and now they would be attending the wedding together. If the courtship continued in this way it would only be a matter of time before he asked them both to be his partners.

“Oh gosh, Logan you really didn’t have to! You just gave me these earrings!”

“Shh cupcake, let him spoil us, this is fun,” Virgil said with a laugh.

Logan had attempted this many times throughout the years but Virgil never seemed to consider him as a romantic partner so he would give up for a year or two before trying again. 

This was the twelfth attempt.

“For Virgil, I have another grape slushy which it seems you will be able to consume today and two books. I got Frankenstein signed but Mrs. Shelley at the time happened to be arguing with none other than Lord Byron so I had him sign this book of poetry,” Logan gave Virgil the books and drink that he had been hiding in a climate-controlled pocket dimension behind him. The action gave the effect of him pullings out from behind his back like one of those mortal cartoon characters.

Virgil took them, eyes wide, “Logan, I- I was joking I didn’t actually expect you to go down to hell to get some dumb book signed for me. Oh my god.”

‘Dumb book’? Was Virgil dissatisfied with his gift? Logan thought he would at least enjoy the slushy since he was able to drink it today. Halloween tended to make ghosts more solid. But Virgil hadn’t even touched the drink yet.

“Did your father see you?” Virgil asked running his fingers over the cover.

Logan was offended by the very question, “I certainly think that as a prince of hell I can manage to talk to two ghosts without drawing attention to myself. I do have some skills outside of city budgeting you know.”

This wasn’t going well at all…

“God Logan these are… they’re just gorgeous editions. Hardback and everything.”

Logan paused his internal tirade against his own foolishness, “Oh wait is this a positive reaction?”

“Yeah!” Virgil said as if it was obvious.

Logan felt the nervousness release in his chest, “Ah good then I shall move on to Patton’s presents.”

“Logan…” Patton began.

“It is too late to object. The time and money have already been expended, to not accept would do nothing for me. Now take this.”

Logan pulled the gift out of his pocket dimension and handed them one of those stuffed creatures humans tend to like. He was aware the size of such creature would largely dictate the reaction of the receiver and thus he had gotten them the largest one possible.

This had been a mistake. He dropped it in their arms unfortunately the weight and size threw off their balance and caused Patton to tumble to the floor.

“Oh sweet galileo, I apologize. I did not mean to injure you,” Logan said dropping to a knee to help them and their person-sized teddy-bear up.

“Oh, my goodness Logan thank you so much! I love it! I can bear-ly carry it!” Patton said enthusiastically.

“You expressed having trouble sleeping. I had hoped that this might improve your situation.”

“It definitely will. I always sleep better when I have someone to cuddle and this will definitely trick my brain into thinking there’s someone there.”

“Okay, Mayor Mushy what’s this about,” Virgil said setting aside his drink and leaning forward to peer at Logan.

“I am giving you two gifts as a sign of my… affection,” Logan was loath to use such a word but what else was there to call it. Unfortunately, both of them had caused Logan to have _feelings_ , and Logan could do nothing about it until he had spent the proper amount of time giving them courting gifts. These things were not meant to be rushed.

“Uh-huh... So are you trying to convince us to do something?” Virgil asked.

“Yes,” Logan answered, easily.

“What is it?” Patton said.

“I cannot tell you until I have given you the rest of your gifts.”

“Logan no you don’t have too!” Patton groaned.

“Are you asking me to stop?” Logan raised an eyebrow, “If you are honestly asking me to stop I will, but if this is just because you don’t want me to spend time or money on you rest assured I have an excess of both and more then happy to spend them on you two.”

“Okay,” Patton’s voice was soft and they were looking and Logan with the wide-eyed look their face was flushed. 

“So it’s settled? You’ll both just accept the gifts?” Logan looked at Virgil.

Virgil was looking at him with a similarly baffled expression, “Yeah.”

Patton cleared their throat, “Hey by the way could we rewind to the part where you said you’re a prince of hell because I’d- I’d appreciate if you elaborate on that.”

“Ah yes, my father is the devil,” Logan explained, “In all technicality, I am currently hiding from him because I am supposed to take the throne myself very soon but I am unable to as I have not yet found a ruling partner.”

“A ruling partner? Like someone to marry?”

“Yes, unfortunately, my father is quite insistent that I can simply marry someone who would make an ideal business partner and rule with them. I however am of the position that I would much rather at least be friends with the person I will have to have children with one day. Not to mention I cannot choose just any mortal to take on that much power and have immortality.”

“Remind me, how long have you been looking now?” Virgil asked, kicking his legs up on the seat next to him.

“More than a century,” Logan sighed, he was not proud of that. He always considered himself to be not unattractive but perhaps this human body he had designed was not what many found appealing? He had considered on many occasions trying a different form, perhaps one that Virgil might finally like…

“Oh gosh, that’s rough. But hey if you just want someone you’re close with…” Patton said, “Why not Virgil?”

Logan froze in one moment and in the next moment he found himself covered in sticky grape-flavored liquid.

“Oh my god Logan I’m so sorry I was just um- surprised and _wow I didn’t know people really did spit takes…_ ” He whispered the last part, in his bafflement.

Virgil was next to him in a second and was wiping away the slushy from Logan’s face with his sleeve.

“I don’t think Virgil is particularly interested in ruling hell,” Logan said dryly, casting a mischievous look toward the man who had just spat syrup and ice at him.

“Well uhm- you couldn’t have kids with me anyway, I don’t fit the profile,” Virgil said with a nervous laugh. Logan didn’t miss that Virgil didn’t say he wasn’t interested.

“On the contrary species and gender would not factor in at all as baby demons tend to be formed from pieces of the parents’ souls,” Logan said casually before realizing that what he had just said amounted to practically a proposition.

“Sorry did I make things awkward? I was just trying to hell-p,” Patton batted their eyelashes in false innocence of their crime. Logan tried to glare at them but couldn’t bring himself to be truly angry.

The night continued far more quietly after that and Logan managed to hold back thoughts about Halloween until nearly ten o’clock.

“-And then I came across this clearing and there was a deer and she didn’t hear me! And then I felt my fangs starting to grow which was awkward because I was literally on my way to pick up breakfast and so I just took a picture of her but it was dark out and you can’t even see her in the picture!” Patton concluded with a frown.

“You could always paint her,” Virgil suggested, “cuz yeah night time nature photography is no easy feat with a phone camera.”

“Patton, what are your plans for Halloween?” Logan burst out unable to restrain the question anymore.

Patton blinked in surprise and Virgil just smiled, mildly amused.

“Oh I’m probably just gonna hang out at home, Remus and Janus like to go up and scare kids who go into the woods to be spooked and the rest of the pack were invited to a big party so it's just me."

They should invite them so they weren't alone. That would be good to do. That was what you were supposed to do right?

Logan shifted his weight, feeling his heartbeat suddenly.

Logan looked at Virgil and Virgil gave him a look that bordered on skeptical.

"Patton give us a minute." Virgil grabbed his arm and dragged him all the way to the front desk where Patton wouldn't hear them.

"Logan." 

Logan's eyes were fixed on where his and Virgil's hands were joined. He was having difficulty breathing. Tears were pricking his eyes, what was happening?

" _Logan,_ " Virgil repeated more insistently. Then his hand was on Logan's face, guiding his chin so he was looking at Virgil.

"Virgil I believe I may be having verging upon a panic attack but I am unsure why."

"I know, which is why I need you to hear what I'm about to say. You don't have to invite them."

"But-"

"Stop. I know it's polite and I know you’re all about being proper about how you flirt with them. But this is big Logan. Halloween is important for you and as much as Patton is usually welcome we haven’t known them for very long. It is okay for you to be uncomfortable being that vulnerable in front of them."

Logan felt the calming effect immediately. That was what he had been upset about? But it had been his idea. He wanted to do it… He supposed he was a bit nervous about the idea of them finding out about his and Virgil’s tradition. Logan didn’t often relax entirely but Halloween with Virgil was certainly on of those times.

He took a few breathes and found himself much more balanced, “You’re… correct. Truly like them but... I suppose I am yet to find evidence of their trustworthiness. I _need_ evidence. But I also need to give them a chance to provide that evidence.”

“Then what if you invite them over tomorrow evening, to join us for just a few hours, one or two movies?”

“Oh….” Logan looked down at Virgil in wonder. Why had that not occurred to him? He found himself pressing a kiss to his forehead, “You are very intelligent, thank you.”

Virgil flickered wildly, “And you are going to be the death of me.” He saw Virgil’s cheeks coloring purple as the only liquid in his body was technically slushy. Was that in response to the forehead kiss? Logan felt a shred of giddy hope in his chest, quickly replacing the panic.

“What’s the matter, V? Flustered?” Logan used his well-practiced teasing tone.

Virgil’s eyes widened, “I’m- let’s- lets uh go invite Patton.”

Logan smiled, “Indeed.”

***

Virgil was dying. Logan hadn’t stopped flirting with him since the forehead kiss and seemed to be getting bolder. But on top of this was that Logan didn’t even like him, he liked Patton.

“Logan we need to talk,” Virgil said pausing the movie, he had only made it twenty minutes into the first one before he realized he couldn’t focus at all. Logan was looking at the screen. Virgil was laying with his head in Logan’s lap.

“Oh?” Logan looked down at him.

“You know how you have a crush on Patton?”

“Yes, and one other person,” Logan agreed.

“Well… IHaveACrushOnThemToo!” Virgil rushed out all as one word.

“I know,” Logan said, a small pinched line appearing between his eyebrows.

“You _know_? How???”

“You don’t just casually touch people. You will on occasion hug of high five but sustained touch over time? I’ve never seen you do that with anyone but me.”

“Well, still that just means I’m friends with them!” Virgil said defensively.

Logan raised an eyebrow with a slight smirk. His eyes pinned Virgil in place in a way only Logan could.

“Quite. Just like you and I are _friends_ I suppose?” Logan said lowly.

“I- I don’t-” Virgil wasn’t sure what to say. Did Logan know that Virgil liked him?

“Virgil, I’ve made this clear many times. I love you. If being in a romantic relationship with Patton would make you happiest that is fine. Perhaps they would like to date both of us. We could consider the wedding a sort of trial run.”

“But that will be you and me going together too…”

“Hmm indeed, something to think on. Shall we continue the movie?”

“Uh Yeah,” Virgil said and pressed play.

It continued with other stray comments like that and by three am when they went to the kitchen for snacks Logan had carried a plate of cookies out and frowned before calling to Virgil.

“Hmm, I believe I may have left one snack in the kitchen.”

He came back and stopped, looking around before his eyes landed on Virgil, “Ah yes I did. Come along I believe we have another movie to watch.”

Virgil stood there gaping, he flickered and the pack of plates slipped through his hand. He grabbed it up before Logan could see.

Logan had already made his way back to the living room. Virgil steadied his breathing. He snatched the gift bag off the counter and sat down on the couch next to Logan who was faintly smirking as he set up subtitles for Halloweentown.

“L- Logan?”

“Hmm?”

“What the fuck are you doing?” he demanded. 

There was a certain amount of friend flirting that was okay but going this far was just mean. Why was he picking on Virgil like this? Fake compliments weren’t funny.

Logan’s started at his tone, face falling, he looked away from the screen.

“I was… setting up subtitles…? Is that rude? Should I have asked first?”

Virgil felt his eyes welling with tears, blurring his visions with sticky purple liquid. Why was he playing dumb?

“Stop it! You know what I mean!” Virgil snapped, dropping the gift bag on the floor.

Logan visibly flinched back and a look of realization dawned on his face, “I am so sorry. I should have realized. I have been pushy. I’m sorry. My advances are unwanted.”

“Yeah Logan and honestly this is kinda a dick move. What about me has ever made you think toying with me like that would be funny?” Virgil asked.

“‘Toying with’? ‘Funny’? Virgil, I didn’t-”

“Like look the touching is okay I- its better than nothing but like don’t fuck with my emotions okay?”

“Virgi-”

“I don’t let very many people close enough to have a direct line t-to my feelings like that and I let you in. You know all of it. You know how I died and still you-”

“Virgil!” Logan cut in, his voice hard, “Look at me.”

Virgil didn’t know when he started full-on crying or when he curled in on himself like this.

Virgil looked up.

“I love you,” Logan said firmly.

“Yeah I know, we’re friends-”

“No. I _love_ you, Virgil. Romantically. Understand? Now whatever you feel about it I’m not sure I can change that but I will modify my behavior to not show it if you prefer, but please don’t think this is a joke to me.”

“You- you really?”

“Yes. I adore you. As illogical as it is, I would likely do anything for you. I would like to continue showing it. Is that okay?”

“Th-that- how? I- What?” Virgil felt his breathing growing faster. This couldn’t be true. That’s not how these things worked you don’t just fall in love with your best friend and have them love you back especially when you were too much of a coward to tell them when the feelings first caught. He wanted some badly for it to be true but-

“Virgil _please_ say something,” Logan said softly, looking at Virgil with those eyes, “Do you care for me too?”

It was too much Virgil felt like he was floating away despite the power boost he got from Halloween. The flickering was too much and he knew he’d slip right into the ground if he didn’t stop it soon.

“Lo, could- could you hold me? Need pressure. Need-”

Logan wrapped his arms around Virgil tightly and his form stopped flickering.

“I’m sorry,” Virgil whispered.

“It is alright I assumed it was a figurative ‘long shot’.”

“No!” Virgil cried too quickly, “I’m- I love you too. Please I’m sorry for panicking and calling you a dick. I love you. I’m sorry.”

“You do?” Logan asked softly.

“Yeah god so much,” Virgil lifted his head. 

Logan brought up a hand to cradle his face and used the pad of his thumb to wipe away the melted slushy running down from his eyes.

“Virgil, I apologize for not completing the courting process but would you be willing to- well be my boyfriend?”

“Are you sure thats what you want? What about Patton?”

Logan sighed, “I cannot deny I care for them but I am in love with you and I am willing to set my feelings for them aside if you wish. Alternatively, I would also be perfectly happy to ask them to date both of us at some point soon. Or even if you wish I will get out of both of you way. Your choice.”

“I think I’d like to date you and if- if they like one of us then that one can date them.”

“And if they like both of us?”

“The more the merrier,” Virgil said with a shrug.

“Excellent,” Logan smiled, “No please don’t be offended but your tears are rather sticky and I have to go wash my hands.”

“I uh got some on you,” Virgil said gesturing to Logan’s pant leg where some of his tears landed.

“Ah well could i borrow some pants?”

“Yeah hold on I got- Oh shit i forgot, here,” Virgil thrust the gift bag in Logan’s direction and Logan’s eyes lit up as he pulled out the pajama pants he had gotten Logan.

“Virgil I do not know who this small green creature is but they are very good.”

“Oh my god, i gotta show you Invader Zim one of these days, nerd.”

“I am greatly looking forward to that.”

Logan dropped a kiss to his forehead before heading to the bathroom.

Virgil nearly swallowed his throat. Logan was his boyfriend. _Boyfriend_. What the hell this was so cool.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> see! i toldya that is was mainly fluff

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoy please kudos or comment it makes me feel sunshine in my heart  
> If you wanna come yell at me (or just make friends I'm not picky)  
> Tumblr: todefine-istolimit  
> Discord: DefineIsToLimit#1608


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